'arthrosporous' originates from New Latin/Greek combining forms: 'arthro-' from Greek 'arthron' meaning 'joint' and 'spora' (Greek) meaning 'seed, spore'.

'arthrosporous' derives from terms like New Latin 'arthrospora' (based on Greek 'arthron' + 'spora') and was formed in English as an adjective describing organisms that bear arthrospores.

Initially it meant 'having or producing joint-like spores'; this technical meaning referring to spores formed by fragmentation of hyphae has been retained in scientific usage.