The Spanish word 'vísperas' comes from the Latin word 'vespera', meaning 'evening'. Over time, the meaning became more specific in Spanish, referring particularly to 'vespers' - evening prayers in the Christian tradition. This semantic shift from a general time of day to a specific religious observance reflects the strong influence of Christianity in Spanish culture and language development.

A closely related Spanish word is 'víspera', meaning 'eve' or 'day before'. Both words share the same Latin root and maintain a connection to the concept of evening or the end of the day.

The English word 'vespers' is a direct cognate of 'vísperas', also coming from the same Latin root 'vespera'. Both the English and Spanish terms specifically refer to evening prayers. The word 'west' is also distantly related, as it originally referred to the direction where the sun sets in the evening.