el acicate

The Spanish word "acicate" has the following explanation in English:

Meaning:

• Acicate refers to something that serves as a stimulus, encouragement, or incentive that drives someone to act or work harder. It can be understood as a mental or emotional "spur" or "motivation."
• In a literal and older sense, an acicate is a spur, i.e., the pointed device attached to the heel of a riding boot used to urge a horse forward.

Parts:

• The word comes from the Latin root relating to "sharp" or "pointed," aligned with the physical device's purpose as a sharp encouragement.

Synonyms:

• Incentive
• Stimulus
• Motivation
• Spur
• Impetus
• Encouragement

Antonyms:

• Discouragement
• Deterrent
• Hindrance
• Obstacle

Usage:

• Figurative: Su amor a la profesión fue el mejor acicate para seguir estudiando.
  (His love for the profession was the best incentive to keep studying.)

• Literal: El jinete usó el acicate para mover el caballo más rápido.
  (The rider used the spur to make the horse go faster.)

In short, "acicate" in contemporary Spanish is mostly used figuratively to denote something that stimulates or drives action.