'antarala' originates from Sanskrit, specifically the word 'antarāla', where 'antara' meant 'between' and the element '-āla' referred to a space or region.

'antarāla' was used in classical Sanskrit texts, passed into various modern Indo-Aryan languages (for example Hindi 'antarāl'), and was later borrowed into English academic and technical usage (particularly in Indology, architecture, and religious studies) as 'antarala'.

Initially it meant 'an intermediate space or interval' in Sanskrit, and over time it has largely retained that core sense, while sometimes becoming specialized (temporal interval, architectural vestibule, or transitional phase) in different contexts.