'IED' originates from the English phrase 'Improvised Explosive Device', where 'improvised' means 'created spontaneously or without preparation', 'explosive' refers to a substance that can cause an explosion, and 'device' means a tool or piece of equipment.

The term 'IED' was popularized during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, where such devices were frequently used against military forces.

Initially, it referred to any explosive device made from non-standard military components, but it has come to specifically denote those used in guerrilla warfare.