'atheromatosis' originates from New Latin/medical Latin, specifically from the Greek word 'athēroma', where 'athēra' meant 'porridge' (referring to the gruel-like appearance of fatty deposits) and the Greek suffix '-ōsis' meant 'condition'.

'atheromatosis' came into scientific/medical usage via New Latin/medical Latin as 'atheromatōsis' and was adopted into modern English with little change in form, becoming 'atheromatosis'.

Initially, it referred specifically to the presence of an 'athēroma' (a porridge-like fatty swelling). Over time it evolved to denote the broader pathological condition of arterial plaque formation now equated with or closely related to atherosclerosis.