'aphthartodocetic' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'aphthartos' and 'dokein'/'doketikos', where 'aphthartos' meant 'incorruptible' and 'dokein' meant 'to seem'.

'aphthartodocetic' was formed in modern theological English from Greek elements (via New Latin theological usage such as 'aphthartos' and 'docetic'); the noun form 'aphthartodocetism' appears in theological discussions describing a variant of docetism, and the adjectival form 'aphthartodocetic' derived from that usage.

Initially the Greek elements literally meant 'incorruptible' + 'seeming'; over time the compound became a technical term in theological history for a specific Christological position denying Christ's real passibility or corruption.