'autolytic' originates from modern formation based on Greek elements: 'auto-' (Greek 'autos') meaning 'self' and 'lysis' (Greek 'lysis') meaning 'loosening, dissolution'; the adjective is formed by adding the suffix '-ic'.

'autolytic' derives from the noun 'autolysis' (coined in modern scientific usage in the 19th century) and was formed as an adjective by attaching the adjectival suffix '-ic' to refer to processes involving autolysis.

Initially coined to describe enzymatic self-digestion ('self-dissolving' of cells), the term has retained that core meaning and has been extended to technical contexts (e.g., enology, microbiology) to describe effects produced by autolysis.