'akoasma' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'ἀκοάσμα', where 'ἀκοή' meant 'hearing' and '-σμα' was a suffix indicating a result or product.

'ἀκοάσμα' transformed into the Latin word 'acoasma', and eventually became the modern English word 'akoasma'.

Initially, it meant 'a sound heard', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a non-verbal auditory hallucination'.