'balandra' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'balandra' (used for a small sailing vessel); the form likely entered English from Iberian maritime usage.

'balandra' appears in Spanish nautical vocabulary and was adopted into English maritime discourse (especially in accounts and translations) from Spanish/Portuguese in the 17th–19th centuries; its form and usage remained largely as a loanword rather than becoming common native English vocabulary.

Initially it denoted a specific small type of sailing craft in Iberian waters; over time it has remained a specialist or historical term in English rather than acquiring broader or figurative senses.