'archivolt' originates from French, specifically the word 'archivolte', ultimately formed from Latin elements 'arcus' meaning 'arch' and 'volta' (from 'volvere') meaning 'a turn' or 'vault'.

'archivolt' passed into English via French 'archivolte' (and similar medieval Romance forms); the compound reflects Latin roots for 'arch' ('arcus') and 'vault/turn' ('volta'), and the form stabilized in English as 'archivolt' by the 17th–19th centuries in architectural usage.

Initially related broadly to arched or vaulted structures ('arch' + 'vault'), over time the term narrowed to denote specifically the decorative molded band framing an arch.