'adonin' originates from the plant name 'Adonis vernalis', where 'Adonis' is a reference to the Greek god of beauty and desire, and 'vernalis' means 'of the spring' in Latin.

'Adonis vernalis' was used in traditional medicine, and the glycoside extracted from it was named 'adonin'.

Initially, it referred to the plant itself, but over time it evolved to specifically denote the glycoside extracted from the plant.