'bot.' originates from English abbreviation practice of the modern word 'botany', which itself comes from Middle English 'botany' and Old French 'botanique', ultimately from Greek 'botanikos' where 'botane' meant 'plant'.

'botany' developed from Old French 'botanique' and Medieval Latin 'botanicus'; the English noun 'botany' arose in Middle English and was later abbreviated in lists and labels to 'bot.'.

Initially related directly to the Greek sense 'plant', the term evolved into the scientific field name 'botany'; 'bot.' later became a conventional abbreviation used to mark botanical context rather than a full word.