'atropine' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'atropinum', where 'Atropa' referred to the plant genus named after the Greek Fate 'Atropos'.

'atropine' changed from New Latin 'atropinum' (used in early modern chemical nomenclature), passed into international scientific usage in the 19th century, and eventually became the modern English word 'atropine'.

Initially it referred broadly to substances derived from the plant Atropa belladonna (often noted for their toxic properties); over time it came to denote specifically the anticholinergic alkaloid used in medicine.