'aquacade' originates from an English coinage combining Latin 'aqua', specifically the word 'aqua', where 'aqua' meant 'water', and the suffix '-cade' (compare 'cavalcade'), where '-cade' suggested a procession or spectacle.

'aquacade' was coined in English in the early 20th century as a name for staged water spectacles; it was popularized by commercially produced shows such as Billy Rose's 'Aquacade' in the 1930s and later became a general term for aquatic performances.

Initially used as the title or trade name for specific water-productions, it broadened over time to mean any staged aquatic entertainment or water spectacle.