'barbacoa' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'barbacoa', which was borrowed from Taíno (an Arawakan language) 'barbakoa', meaning a 'framework of sticks' or a raised wooden grate used for cooking.

The term moved from Taíno 'barbakoa' into Spanish as 'barbacoa' and then into English usage (often alongside the related form 'barbecue'); over time English also developed 'barbecue' from the same source.

Initially it referred to the wooden framework or grill used by Indigenous peoples; over time it evolved to denote both the cooking method (a pit or grill technique) and the meat prepared by that method.