'arthropathic' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'arthron' and 'pathos', where 'arthr-' meant 'joint' and 'path-' meant 'suffering' or 'disease'.

'arthropathic' changed from New Latin/medical formations such as 'arthropathia' and the combining forms 'arthro-' + '-pathic' and eventually became the modern English adjective 'arthropathic'.

Initially it referred to 'disease of the joints' (arthropathy) in noun form, but over time it developed into the adjective meaning 'relating to joint disease'.