'autobasidia' originates from New Latin (plural of 'autobasidium'), specifically from the combining element 'auto-' (from Greek 'autos' meaning 'self') and 'basidium' (from Greek 'basidion' meaning 'little base').

'autobasidium' was coined in scientific Neo-Latin/English by combining 'auto-' + 'basidium'; the plural form 'autobasidia' follows classical/Neo-Latin pluralization used in mycological literature.

Initially it denoted 'self-originating basidium'; over time usage has remained specialized and now refers generally to basidia formed directly from hyphae (used descriptively in mycology).