'acidolytic' originates from Modern/Neo-Latin and Greek-derived formation, specifically from 'acid' (from Latin 'acidus') and the Greek-derived suffix '-lytic' (from Greek 'lytikos'), where 'acidus' meant 'sour' and 'lytikos' meant 'able to loosen or dissolve'.

'acid' entered English from Latin 'acidus' via Old French 'acide'; the element '-lytic' comes from Greek 'lytikos' through Neo-Latin and scientific usage, forming Neo-Latin/technical compounds (e.g. 'acidolyticus') and later modern English 'acidolytic'.

Initially the components described 'sour' (acid) and 'loosening/dissolution' (lytic); over time the compound has been used in specialized chemical contexts to mean 'relating to cleavage or hydrolysis under acidic conditions'.