'associationism' originates from Latin via French and English: the noun 'association' (from Latin 'associatio', from 'associare' meaning 'to unite with') combined with the suffix '-ism' (from Greek/Latin via French) used to form doctrines or systems.

'associationism' developed in English by adding the suffix '-ism' to 'association' (itself from Medieval/Latin 'associatio'), producing the modern term used to denote the doctrine or theory of associations in psychology and philosophy.

Initially, 'association' meant 'the act of uniting or joining', and over time 'associationism' came to mean specifically the doctrinal view that mental phenomena are explained by such associations.