'aphrodisiomaniac' originates from Greek and Neo-Latin elements: specifically from Greek 'Aphrodite' (via adjective forms meaning 'sexual, of sexual love') combined with Greek 'mania' (μα(ν)ία) meaning 'madness' or 'obsession'.

'aphrodisiomaniac' is a modern English coinage formed by combining the element 'aphrodisio-' (relating to sexual desire, ultimately from Greek) with the suffix '-maniac' (from Greek 'mania' via Latin/Neo-Latin); it entered English as a descriptive/medical or colloquial term rather than from an earlier single source word.

Initially the roots described 'madness or obsession related to sexual desire'; in modern usage the compound refers to 'a person with excessive sexual desire' and is often used pejoratively or descriptively in medical/colloquial contexts.