'aquatint' originates from French, specifically the word 'aquatinte', where 'aqua' (from Latin 'aqua') meant 'water' and 'tinte' (from Old French 'teinte') meant 'tint' or 'dye'.

'aquatint' changed from the French word 'aquatinte' (and related Italian forms such as 'acquatinta') and entered English in the late 18th century alongside the development of the printmaking technique, eventually becoming the modern English word 'aquatint'.

Initially, it referred specifically to the technique for producing watercolor-like tones in etched plates; over time it has retained that meaning and also commonly refers to the prints produced by that technique.