'aquafortist' ultimately derives from Italian 'acquaforte' (literally 'strong water'), where 'acqua' meant 'water' and 'forte' meant 'strong'.

The Italian term 'acquaforte' (used to refer to acid used in etching) was borrowed into French and English as 'aquaforte' in the 17th–18th centuries; English then formed the agent noun 'aquafortist' to denote a practitioner of aquaforte etching.

Originally referring to 'strong water' (the acid used to bite a plate), the sense shifted to the etching technique ('aquaforte') and then to a person practicing that technique ('aquafortist').