'artophorion' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the word 'ἀρτοφόριον' (artophórion), where 'ἄρτος' meant 'bread' and the root related to 'φέρω/φορέω' meant 'to carry, bear'.

'artophorion' passed into ecclesiastical usage (via Medieval and Late Greek and occasionally Latin ecclesiastical texts) and was borrowed into English scholarly and theological vocabulary to denote a liturgical bread-basket.

Initially, it meant 'a vessel or basket for carrying bread'; over time the term has retained this specific historical/liturgical sense and is now an archaic or specialist word in English for a bread-basket used in religious contexts.