'arthroplasty' originates from New Latin and Greek, specifically the Greek word 'arthron', where 'arthr-' meant 'joint', combined with the Greek root 'plassein' (via Latin/medical formation 'plasty') where '-plasty' meant 'to form' or 'to mold'.

'arthroplasty' changed from medical-Latin/Neo-Latin formations such as 'arthroplastica' and related coinages in 19th-century medical usage and eventually became the modern English term 'arthroplasty'.

Initially, it meant 'surgical molding or repair of a joint', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'surgical reconstruction or replacement of a joint to restore function or relieve pain'.