'autoagglutinin' originates from Greek and Neo-Latin: the prefix 'auto-' comes from Greek 'autos' meaning 'self', combined with Neo-Latin 'agglutinin' (from Latin 'agglutinare') where 'gluten' meant 'glue'.

'agglutinare' (Latin) gave rise to Neo-Latin/modern scientific usage 'agglutinin' (a substance causing clumping), and the compound formation with Greek 'auto-' produced the modern scientific term 'autoagglutinin'.

Initially formed as a literal compound meaning 'a self-gluing agent', it came to be used specifically in medical and immunological contexts to mean 'an autoantibody or substance that causes one's own cells to agglutinate'.