'arsenotungstic' originates from modern scientific/International Scientific Vocabulary, combining the combining form 'arseno-' (from 'arsenic') and 'tungst-' (from 'tungsten') plus the adjectival suffix '-ic'.

'arseno-' derives from Latin/Greek for arsenic (Latin 'arsenicum' from Greek 'arsenikon'), while 'tungst-' comes from Swedish 'tung sten' ('heavy stone') via the mineral name 'tungsten'; the modern compound adjective 'arsenotungstic' was formed in chemical nomenclature by joining these element roots with '-ic'.

Initially formed as a descriptive chemical adjective meaning 'of or containing arsenic and tungsten'; this specific technical meaning has been retained in modern usage.