'atherosclerosis' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'athēra' (ἀθήρα) and 'sklērós' (σκληρός), where 'athēra' meant 'gruel' or 'fatty deposit' and 'sklērós' meant 'hard'.

'atherosclerosis' entered medical Latin as 'atherosklerōsis' (combining Greek elements) and was adopted into English as 'atherosclerosis' through modern medical usage.

Initially it described the 'hardening' associated with 'gruel-like' fatty deposits; over time it has come to denote the specific disease process of arterial hardening caused by atheromatous (fatty) deposits.