'apostema' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'ἀποστήμα (apostēma)', where 'apo-' meant 'away' and 'histēmi' (stē-) meant 'to stand' or 'set'.

'apostema' passed into Late Latin and Medieval Latin as 'apostema' and appeared in Middle English in forms such as 'aposteme', eventually surviving in modern English as 'apostema'.

Initially it referred to 'a standing away' or separation (the literal sense of the Greek components), but over time it came to denote a localized swelling or collection of pus — an abscess.