'apertural' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'apertūra', where the root 'aperīre' meant 'to open'.

'apertural' developed from the Latin noun 'apertūra' (meaning 'opening'), which passed into Middle English and Modern English as 'aperture'; the adjectival form was created by adding the suffix '-al' to form 'apertural'.

Initially it referred to 'an opening' (the noun 'aperture'); over time the derivative adjective came to mean 'relating to or having an opening', which is the current usage.