'aperistaltic' originates from the Greek-derived prefix 'a-' (privative, meaning 'not' or 'without') combined with 'peristaltic' (from New Latin/medical usage 'peristalticus', ultimately from Greek 'peristaltikos' related to 'peristalsis').

'aperistaltic' was formed in modern medical English by prefixing 'a-' to 'peristaltic' (itself derived from 'peristalsis', a term that entered English via New Latin from Greek in the 19th century).

Initially it denoted the absence of peristaltic movement (i.e., 'not peristaltic') in medical descriptions, and it has retained that specific clinical meaning.