c.1400, from Old French Espaignart, from Espaigne "Spain," from Latin Hispania, from Greek Hispania "Spain," Hispanos "Spanish, a Spaniard," probably from Celt-Iberian, in which language (H)i- represents a definite article [Klein, who compares Hellenistic Greek Spania]. The earlier English noun was Spaynol (mid-14c.), from Old French Espaignol. The Latin adjectives are Hispanus, Hispanicus, Hispaniensis.