'aortolith' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'aorta' and 'lithos', where 'aorta' referred to the main artery and 'lithos' meant 'stone'.

'aortolith' was formed in New Latin/modern medical English as a combination of the combining form 'aorto-' (relating to the aorta) and the suffix '-lith' (stone), and eventually became the modern English term 'aortolith'.

Initially, it meant 'stone of the aorta', and over time this literal meaning has been retained as the medical usage referring to calcified deposits in the aorta.