'areology' originates from Greek (via New Latin/modern coinage), specifically the combining form 'Areo-' from Greek 'Arēs' (genitive 'Areos'), and the suffix '-logy' from Greek 'logia', where 'Arēs' meant 'the god of war / Mars' and 'logia' meant 'study'.

'areology' was coined in modern scientific English by analogy with terms like 'geology' and 'astrology', forming the modern English word 'areology' to denote the study of Mars; it entered usage in planetary science literature in the late 19th to 20th century.

Initially formed simply as a coinage meaning 'study related to Ares/Mars', it evolved into the specific scientific meaning 'the study of Mars, especially its geology and climate', which is its current usage.