'apothegmatist' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'apophthēgma', where 'apo-' meant 'away' and the root related to 'phthengesthai' meant 'to utter' (a short spoken saying).

'apophthēgma' passed into Late Latin/Medieval Latin as 'apophthegma'/'apothegma' and into English as 'apothegm' (a pithy saying); the agent-form 'apothegmatist' was later formed in English to denote a maker/collector of such sayings.

Initially the root referred to 'a concise or pointed utterance' and over time an agent noun developed to mean 'a person who composes or collects such utterances', now expressed by 'apothegmatist'.