'aurochs' originates from German, specifically the word 'Auerochs(e)', where 'Auerochs' is composed of 'Au' (meadow) and 'Ochs' (ox).

'aurochs' changed from Middle High German 'ūrochse' (also attested as 'ourochse') to German 'Auerochs(e)' and was adopted into English (via New Latin/vernacular use) as 'aurochs' in the modern period.

Initially, it meant 'a wild ox' (the living animal), and over time the term has come to denote specifically the now-extinct species Bos primigenius.