'articulationist' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'articulatio' (from 'articulare'/'articulus'), where 'articul-' referred to 'a joint' or 'to divide into joints', combined with the suffix '-ist' (from Greek/Latin via French) meaning 'one who practices or is concerned with'.

'articulationist' changed from the Late Latin/Medieval Latin noun 'articulatio' (meaning 'a jointing, division into joints') and the agent-forming suffix '-ist' was added in modern English to form a noun meaning 'one who deals with articulation', producing 'articulationist' in English.

Initially related to the physical notion of 'a joint' or 'the act of joining/segmenting', the sense shifted through 'the act of clear expression or enunciation' and in modern usage it denotes 'one who studies or clearly expresses speech sounds or ideas'.