'aspergillaceae' originates from New Latin, built from the genus name 'Aspergillus' plus the family-forming suffix '-aceae'; 'Aspergillus' itself comes from Latin 'aspergillum' (a holy-water sprinkler), and the suffix '-aceae' denotes a family.

'Aspergillus' was coined in botanical/New Latin from Latin 'aspergillum' (a sprinkling instrument), which ultimately comes from Latin 'aspergere' meaning 'to sprinkle'; attaching the New Latin/Latin suffix '-aceae' (used for plant/fungal family names) to the genus produced the modern family name 'Aspergillaceae'.

Initially the root referred to a physical object (an aspergillum used for sprinkling). Over time the form name was applied to a genus of fungi (because of a morphological resemblance), and later extended to name the family containing that genus.