'autocolony' originates from Greek and Latin elements, specifically the Greek prefix 'auto-' (from 'autos') meaning 'self' and the Latin word 'colonia' meaning 'settlement' or 'farm'.

'colony' changed from Latin 'colonia' to Old French 'colonie' and Middle English 'colonie', eventually becoming modern English 'colony'. The prefix 'auto-' comes from Greek 'autos' and was adopted into New Latin and modern scientific coinages; 'autocolony' is a modern compound formed from these elements.

Initially the components meant 'self' + 'settlement'; in modern scientific usage the compound has come to mean specifically a colony derived from a single self-originating cell or ancestor rather than a general settlement.