'ascender' originates from Latin, specifically the verb 'ascendere', where the prefix 'ad-' (appearing as 'as-') meant 'to' and 'scandere' meant 'to climb'.

'ascendere' passed into Late Latin/Old French forms (e.g. Old French 'ascendre') and into Middle English as 'ascenden'/'ascend'; the English agent noun 'ascender' was formed in Modern English by adding the agent suffix '-er' to the verb 'ascend'.

Initially related to the action 'to climb' (from Latin 'ascendere'), the term later developed a specialized technical meaning in typography referring to the part of a letter that rises above the x-height; it also retains the general sense 'one who rises or climbs'.