'apocenter' originates from Greek prefix 'apo-' (from Greek ἀπό) meaning 'away from' and 'center' (via Latin 'centrum' from Greek 'kentron') meaning 'center'.

'apocenter' developed in modern astronomical English as a compound influenced by older terms such as 'apoapsis' and the British spelling 'apocentre'; the variant 'apocentre' (British) and the form 'apocenter' (US) both led to the contemporary English usage 'apocenter'.

Initially the components literally meant 'away from the center'; over time the compound became specialized to mean 'the point in an orbit farthest from the center of attraction'.