'areologist' originates from Modern Latin/Greek formation, specifically from 'Areologia' (from Greek 'Arēs' + 'logia'), where 'Arēs' meant 'Ares' (the Greek god corresponding to Mars) and 'logia' meant 'study'.

'areologist' was formed in English by adding the agent suffix '-ist' to 'areology' (itself a modern formation from Greek elements), modeled on words like 'geologist' and 'astronomer'. The term appears as a technical/occasional coinage in the late 19th to 20th century alongside the growth of planetary science.

Initially coined to mean 'one who studies Ares/Mars' in the sense of classical naming; over time it has come to mean 'a specialist in the scientific study of the planet Mars' with a focus on geology, atmosphere, and history.