'aluminothermy' originates from the combination of 'aluminum' and 'thermy', where 'aluminum' refers to the metal used and 'thermy' relates to heat generation.

'aluminothermy' was derived from the German word 'Aluminothermie', which was adopted into English in the early 20th century.

Initially, it meant 'a process involving aluminum and heat', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.