'approvement' originates from Middle English, specifically formed from the verb 'approve' plus the noun-forming suffix '-ment'; 'approve' comes from Old French 'aprover' and ultimately from Latin 'approbare', where 'ad-' meant 'to, toward' and 'probare' meant 'to test, to prove, to approve'.

'approvement' changed from Middle English forms such as 'approvement(e)' derived from Anglo-French and Middle English verbs (from Old French 'aprover'), ultimately tracing back to Latin 'approbare'; the noun developed by adding the suffix '-ment' to the verb 'approve'.

Initially related to the idea 'to make or declare good, to prove or test' (from Latin 'probare'), the sense shifted toward 'to give formal consent or approval', and the noun came to mean 'the act or result of approving'.