'archegonia' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'archegonium', where the Greek prefix 'arkhē-' meant 'beginning, chief' and the Greek root 'gonē' (or 'gonos') meant 'offspring, seed'.

'archegonia' changed from the Greek term 'arkhēgōnion' and passed into New Latin as 'archegonium' before being adopted into scientific English as the plural form 'archegonia'.

Initially the element roots conveyed the idea of 'origin' or 'producer of offspring'; over time the combined term became a specific botanical technical term for the female, egg-producing organ in certain lower and seed plants.