'aphorist' originates from English, specifically the word 'aphorism' + the agent suffix '-ist', where 'aphorism' comes from Greek 'aphorismos' meaning 'a defining statement' and Greek 'apo-' meant 'away, off' and 'horizein' meant 'to bound or limit'.

'aphorist' developed in English by adding the suffix '-ist' to the noun 'aphorism', which itself passed into English from Latin 'aphorismus' and ultimately from Greek 'aphorismos'.

Initially, related words like 'aphorism' referred to a concise definition or observation; over time 'aphorist' came to mean specifically 'a person who composes aphorisms.'