'aluminium-plated' is a compound of 'aluminium' and the past participle 'plated'. 'aluminium' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'aluminium', where the Latin 'alumen' meant 'alum' (a sour/bitter salt). 'plate' originates from Old French 'plate', from Late Latin 'platta', where it meant 'a flat piece' (used especially of metal sheets).

'aluminium' changed from Latin 'alumen' to New Latin 'aluminium' in the early 19th century and entered modern English as 'aluminium'. 'plate' passed from Old French 'plate' into Middle English as 'plate', and the verb 'plate' produced the past participle 'plated'.

Initially, 'alumen' referred to the substance alum; over time the related form 'aluminium' became the name of the metal element. 'plate' originally meant 'a flat thing' and later came to mean 'a sheet of metal', and 'plated' came to mean 'covered with a thin layer (of metal)'.