'aphonia' originates from New Latin (medical) and ultimately from Greek, specifically the word 'aphonía', where 'a-' meant 'without' and 'phōnē' meant 'voice'.

'aphonia' changed from Greek word 'aphonía' (ἀφωνία) into New Latin/medical Latin 'aphonia', and was later adopted into modern English as 'aphonia'.

Initially, it meant 'absence of voice' in Greek medical usage, and over time it maintained that core meaning as 'complete loss of voice' in English medical terminology.