'acetalize' originates from the word 'acetal,' which is derived from the German word 'Acetal,' where 'acet-' referred to 'acetic acid' and '-al' was a suffix used in chemistry.

'Acetal' was adopted into English from the German word 'Acetal,' and eventually, the verb form 'acetalize' was created to describe the process of forming an acetal.

Initially, it meant 'to form an acetal,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.