'apathize' originates from modern English, formed from the noun 'apathy' + the verb-forming suffix '-ize'. 'Apathy' comes from Greek 'apatheia', where 'a-' meant 'without' and 'pathos' meant 'feeling' or 'suffering'.

'apathize' is a back-formation built on 'apathy' (from Late Latin 'apatheia' and Greek 'apatheia') combined with the productive English suffix '-ize' (from Old French '-iser' and Greek '-izein'), yielding a verb meaning 'to make or become apathetic.'

Initially the Greek root referred to 'without feeling' or 'freedom from passion'; over time the English formation came to mean specifically 'to render or become indifferent' (i.e., to lose feeling or interest).