'auroch' originates from German, specifically the word 'Auerochse' (modern German 'Auerochs(e)'), where 'Auer-' referred to riverside or meadow land and 'ochse' meant 'ox'.

'auroch' entered English from German in the modern period; earlier English and scientific references used Latin 'urus' (or medieval forms based on it), and the German 'Auerochse' itself reflects older Germanic elements ('ochse' < Old High German 'ohso'/'ohso' = 'ox').

Initially it named the living wild ox species (often referred to by local or Latin names); over time, as the animal became extinct and scientific classification developed, the term came to be used mainly in historical, archaeological, and scientific contexts to refer to the extinct species Bos primigenius.