'banderilla' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'banderilla', where 'bandera' meant 'flag' and the diminutive suffix '-illa' meant 'little'.

'banderilla' derived from Spanish (a diminutive of 'bandera') and was adopted into English in the 19th century along with other bullfighting terms.

Initially, it meant 'little flag', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a small decorated barbed stick used in bullfighting'.