The Spanish word 'tripulante' (meaning 'crew member') comes from the Spanish verb 'tripular' meaning 'to crew (a vessel)', combined with the agent suffix '-nte' which indicates the person who performs an action. The verb 'tripular' itself derives from the Latin word 'interpolare' meaning 'to renovate or intercalate'. Over time, the meaning evolved from the general sense of arranging or putting things in order to the more specific nautical meaning of organizing or manning a ship's crew.

A simpler related Spanish word is the verb 'tripular' itself, which means 'to crew' or 'to man (a vessel)'. This is commonly used in nautical and aviation contexts. For example, 'tripular un barco' means 'to crew a ship'.

While there aren't direct English cognates from the same Latin root 'interpolare', English speakers might recognize the word 'interpolate' which comes from the same Latin source. While 'interpolate' has taken on a more specific meaning of inserting something between other elements (especially in mathematics), it shares the original Latin sense of modifying or altering something by inserting new elements.