'aryballoid' originates from modern English, formed from 'aryballos' + the Greek-derived suffix '-oid', where '-oid' meant 'resembling'.

'aryballos' comes from Ancient Greek 'ἀρύβαλλος' (aryballos), meaning a small oil flask; the element was borrowed into English as 'aryballos', and 'aryballoid' was created in modern English by adding the suffix '-oid' to indicate resemblance.

Initially it referred specifically to the object 'aryballos' (a small oil flask); over time the derived form 'aryballoid' came to mean 'resembling or having the form of an aryballos'.