'albigensianism' originates from the name 'Albi,' a town in southern France, where the movement was prominent, combined with the suffix '-ism' to denote a belief or movement.

'Albigensianism' changed from the medieval Latin term 'Albigenses,' referring to the followers of the movement, and eventually became the modern English term 'Albigensianism.'

Initially, it referred specifically to the followers of the movement in Albi, but over time it evolved to denote the broader belief system associated with them.