'alkylbenzenesulfonate' originates from combining 'alkyl', 'benzene', and 'sulfonate', where 'alkyl' refers to a type of hydrocarbon group, 'benzene' is a simple aromatic ring, and 'sulfonate' is a salt or ester of sulfonic acid.

'alkylbenzenesulfonate' was developed as a synthetic detergent component in the 20th century, evolving from earlier soap formulations.

Initially, it was developed for its cleaning properties, and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.