'androsexual' originates from Modern English, formed by combining the Greek element 'andros' meaning 'man' and the Latin-rooted adjective-forming element 'sexual' from Latin 'sexus' meaning 'sex'.

'androsexual' was coined in recent English usage (late 20th to early 21st century) as a compound of Greek 'andros' and Modern English 'sexual', created to label sexual attraction toward men or masculinity.

Initially, the coinage simply described attraction toward men or masculinity, and over time it has remained a specialized term used within sexual orientation and gender-discourse communities with essentially the same meaning.