'apo-ferritin' originates from Greek and New Latin: the prefix 'apo-' comes from Greek 'ἀπό' (apo) meaning 'away from, separate', and 'ferritin' is formed from Latin 'ferrum' meaning 'iron' with the protein-forming suffix '-in'.

'apo-ferritin' developed in modern biochemical nomenclature by adding the Greek-derived prefix 'apo-' to the established protein name 'ferritin' (itself coined from Latin 'ferrum' + protein suffix '-in'), producing the term for the iron-free form.

Initially, 'ferritin' referred to the iron-storing protein derived from Latin 'ferrum' (iron). Over time, the prefixed form 'apo-ferritin' came to mean specifically the iron-free protein shell, distinguishing it from iron-loaded ferritin ('holo-ferritin').