'apoferritin' originates from a combination of Greek prefix 'apo-' and New Latin/Modern scientific formation 'ferritin'; specifically 'apo-' (Greek) meant 'away from' and Latin 'ferrum' meant 'iron'.

'ferritin' was coined in modern scientific Latin from Latin 'ferrum' ('iron') and the protein-name suffix; 'apoferritin' was formed later in biochemical literature by adding the prefix 'apo-' to indicate the iron-free form, becoming the modern English scientific term 'apoferritin'.

Initially coined to denote the iron-free form of ferritin, the term has retained this specific biochemical meaning in modern usage.