'aspergilliform' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'aspergillum', where 'aspergere' meant 'to sprinkle', combined with the suffix '-form' (from Latin 'formis') meaning 'shape'.

'aspergilliform' developed from Medieval/Scientific Latin use of 'aspergillum' (the instrument used to sprinkle holy water) with the addition of the English/Latin-derived suffix '-form' to indicate shape; the compound arose in modern scientific English to describe brushlike shapes.

Initially related to the object 'aspergillum' (a sprinkler); over time the formation came to be used descriptively in biology and morphology to mean 'brush-shaped' or 'resembling Aspergillus-like clusters'.