'aepyornithidae' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'aepyornis,' where 'aepy' meant 'high' and 'ornis' meant 'bird.'

'aepyornis' transformed into the scientific classification 'aepyornithidae' to denote the family of these birds.

Initially, it referred to a specific genus of large birds, but over time it evolved to represent the entire family of these extinct birds.