'acyloin' originates from the combination of 'acyl' and the suffix '-oin', where 'acyl' refers to a functional group derived from an acid by removal of a hydroxyl group, and '-oin' is a suffix used in organic chemistry.

The term 'acyloin' was coined in the 20th century as organic chemistry expanded and new compounds were classified.

Initially, it referred to any compound with a hydroxyl group next to a carbonyl group, and this meaning has remained consistent.