'apocenter' originates from Greek prefix 'apo-' (meaning 'away from') combined with 'center', ultimately from Latin/Greek 'centrum'/'kentron' (meaning 'point, center').

'apocenter' was formed in modern English by combining the Greek prefix 'apo-' with English 'center' (Middle English from Old French 'centre', from Latin 'centrum', from Greek 'kentron').

Initially composed of elements meaning 'away from the center', the compound evolved into the technical sense 'the farthest point in an orbit' in astronomy/astrodynamics.