'aporetic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'apōreitikos', where 'a-' meant 'not' and 'poros' meant 'passage' (hence a sense of 'without a way through').

'aporetic' changed from the Greek adjective 'apōreitikos' and the related noun 'aporia' (used in philosophical contexts), passed into Medieval and Classical Latin philosophical usage as 'aporia', and eventually entered modern English usage as 'aporetic' via scholarly and philosophical texts.

Initially it meant 'a state of being without a way through; perplexity', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'relating to or expressing a philosophical impasse or puzzling contradiction'.