'apolune' originates from a modern coinage combining the Greek prefix 'apo-' and the Latin word 'luna', where 'apo-' meant 'away' and 'luna' meant 'moon'.

'apo-' (Greek) and 'luna' (Latin) were combined in modern astronomical usage (20th century) to form terms such as 'apolune' and 'perilune', analogues to generic 'apoapsis'/'periapsis' but specific to the Moon.

Initially coined to name the apoapsis of lunar orbits, it has remained a specialized astronomical term meaning 'the farthest point in a lunar orbit'.