'Thalictrum' originates from New Latin, ultimately from Greek 'thaliktron' (θαλίχτρον), a word used for a type of plant.

'Thalictrum' changed from the Greek plant-name 'thaliktron' and was adopted into New Latin botanical usage (18th century onward) as the genus name 'Thalictrum', which remains in modern botanical nomenclature.

Initially it referred generally to a certain plant in Greek usage; over time it came to denote the specific botanical genus 'Thalictrum' (meadow-rues) in scientific classification.