'arthropathy' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'arthro-' and '-pathy', where 'arthro-' meant 'joint' and '-pathy' comes from Greek 'pathos' meaning 'suffering' or 'disease'.

'arthropathy' was formed in modern medical English (via New Latin/medical coinage) by combining Greek roots 'arthro-' + '-pathy' and eventually became the English medical term 'arthropathy'.

Initially it literally meant 'joint suffering', but over time it evolved into the modern medical sense of 'disease or disorder of the joints'.