'aurothiosulphate' is formed from the combining elements 'auro-', 'thio-' and 'sulphate'. 'Auro-' originates from Latin 'aurum' meaning 'gold'; 'thio-' comes from Greek 'theíon' (θεῖον) meaning 'sulfur'; and 'sulphate' derives from New Latin/Modern chemistry use of 'sulphas'/'sulphate' referring to the sulfate salt or ester.

'aurothiosulphate' is a modern chemical compound name assembled from classical roots: Latin 'aurum' and Greek 'theíon' combined with the chemical noun 'sulphate' (from New Latin). The element-name roots were joined in modern chemical nomenclature to denote a gold–thiosulfate species.

Individually the roots meant 'gold', 'sulfur', and 'sulfate (salt)'; combined in modern chemistry they denote a specific type of gold–thiosulfate complex rather than the separate literal components.