'acrostichal' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'akrostichis', where 'akro-' meant 'top' and 'stichos' meant 'line'.

'akrostichis' transformed into the Latin word 'acrostichum', and eventually became the modern English word 'acrostic' and its adjective form 'acrostichal'.

Initially, it meant 'a line or verse', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'relating to an acrostic'.