'auriculariales' originates from New Latin (taxonomic usage), specifically formed from the genus name 'Auricularia' plus the order-forming suffix '-ales', where 'Auricularia' comes from Latin 'auricula' meaning 'little ear'.

'auriculariales' was formed in modern scientific Latin by adding the suffix '-ales' (used to form names of orders) to 'Auricularia'. 'Auricularia' itself derives from Latin 'auricula' (a diminutive of 'auris', 'ear'), reflecting the ear-like shape of these fungi.

Initially the root referred to 'little ear' (shape), and over time the term came to denote the scientific group (order) of fungi characterized by that ear-like morphology.