'autonephrotoxin' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'auto-' (Greek 'αὐτός'), 'nephro-' (Greek 'νεφρός') and 'toxikon' (Greek 'τόξικον'), where 'auto-' meant 'self', 'nephros' meant 'kidney', and 'toxikon' meant 'poison'.

'autonephrotoxin' was coined in modern medical English by joining Neo-Latin/Greek roots; it built on the earlier term 'nephrotoxin' (a kidney toxin), with the prefix 'auto-' added to indicate self-origin.

Initially the elements meant 'self', 'kidney' and 'poison'; combined, they evolved to mean specifically 'a poison produced within the body that harms the kidneys'.