'amphidromous' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'amphi-' and 'dromos', where 'amphi-' meant 'both, around' and 'dromos' meant 'running, course'.

'amphidromous' came into scientific English via New/Modern Latin (from Greek 'amphidromos'), with the formation used in biological contexts in the 19th and 20th centuries and retained in modern English as 'amphidromous'.

Initially built from components meaning 'running about both (sides/places)', it has come to be used specifically in biology to mean 'migrating between fresh and salt water (not for breeding)'.