'asparaginous' originates from New Latin/Neo-Latin, formed from the noun 'asparagine' plus the adjectival suffix '-ous'. 'Asparagine' itself comes from Modern Latin/Neo-Latin 'asparaginum', ultimately from Latin 'asparagus' (from Greek 'asparagos'), meaning 'asparagus'.

'asparaginous' was formed in English by attaching the suffix '-ous' to 'asparagine' (a chemical name coined in the early 19th century after the compound was first isolated from asparagus), producing the adjective meaning 'of or pertaining to asparagine'.

Initially it referred specifically to matter containing or derived from asparagine; over time the meaning has remained largely stable, used in biochemical and chemical contexts to denote presence or relation to asparagine.