'auriculae' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'auricula', where 'auris' meant 'ear' and the diminutive suffix '-cula' meant 'little'.

'auriculae' changed from Latin 'auricula' (a diminutive of 'auris') into Medieval and New Latin anatomical and botanical usage, and was adopted into English scholarly and scientific vocabulary as 'auricula' with the Latin plural 'auriculae'.

Initially, it meant 'little ear' (a diminutive of 'ear'), but over time it evolved to refer to the 'auricle' or outer ear and was also applied to a plant with ear-shaped leaves, leading to botanical use of the term.