'aorta' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'aortē' (ἀορτή), where 'aortē' meant 'a lift' or 'that which is lifted'.

'aorta' changed from the Greek word 'aortē' into Latin as 'aorta', passed into Medieval/late Latin and then into Middle English (appearing as forms like 'aorte'), eventually becoming the modern English word 'aorta'.

Initially it referred to 'a lift' (from the Greek sense), but over time it became specialized to denote the large arterial trunk leaving the heart; the meaning shifted to the anatomical sense.