'autaesthesy' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'autós' and 'aisthēsis,' where 'autós' meant 'self' and 'aisthēsis' meant 'sensation' or 'perception'.

'autaesthesy' is derived from classical Greek elements and is related to nineteenth- and twentieth-century coinages such as 'autæsthesia' or 'autesthesia' used in medical and philosophical texts; these forms in modern English produced variant spellings including 'autaesthesy'.

Initially it meant 'self-sensation' in a literal sense; over time it has retained that core sense but has also been used more specifically in clinical and theoretical contexts to refer to the awareness of internal bodily states.