'arthrolith' originates from Modern medical/New Latin coinage, specifically from the Greek elements 'arthron' and 'lithos', where 'arthron' meant 'joint' and 'lithos' meant 'stone'.

'arthrolith' changed from the Greek compound elements 'arthron' + 'lithos' (formed in New Latin/medical terminology) and eventually became the modern English medical term 'arthrolith'.

Initially, it meant 'stone of a joint' in a literal morphological sense, and over time it has retained that meaning as a medical term for a calcified or ossified intra-articular body.