'aquaplaner' is formed in English from Latin 'aqua' meaning 'water' combined with 'plane' (from Latin 'planus' meaning 'flat, level') plus the English agent suffix '-er'.

'aquaplaner' developed from the noun/verb 'aquaplane' (early 20th century English, originally referring to a board for being towed on water or the act of skidding on water) by adding the agent-forming suffix '-er' to create an agent noun.

Initially related to objects or actions that glide on water ('aquaplane' as a water-board or the action of gliding), the agent noun 'aquaplaner' has come to refer both to someone riding an aquaplane and more generally to a person or vehicle that skids on a wet surface (hydroplanes).