The word "comrade" comes from the Spanish word "camarada", which in turn comes from the Late Latin word "camerata", meaning "room-mate" or "fellow soldier". The word was first used in English in the 16th century, and was originally used to refer to a fellow soldier or a close friend. In the 19th century, the word began to be used more broadly to refer to any fellow member of a group or cause. In the 20th century, the word was especially associated with communism, as it was used by communists to refer to each other.