'arecoline' originates from the botanical genus name 'Areca' (Neo-Latin) combined with the chemical suffix '-ine' used for alkaloids; 'Areca' (the name for the betel/areca palm and its nut) was adopted into European languages from Portuguese 'areca', itself likely from a South Indian (Malayalam/Tamil) local name for the nut.

'arecoline' was coined in the 19th century in chemical literature by combining 'Areca' (the source plant) with the alkaloid suffix '-ine', following the convention for naming plant-derived alkaloids; the term entered modern chemical and medical English without major orthographic change.

Initially it strictly denoted the alkaloid isolated from the areca nut; over time its usage broadened in pharmacology and toxicology to refer to that compound's pharmacological effects and its role in betel-associated health risks.