'autoscope' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'autos' and 'skopein', where 'autos' meant 'self' and 'skopein' meant 'to look' or 'to observe'.

'autoscope' entered English formation via scholarly/Neo-Latin coinages (e.g. formations like 'autoscopium') and appeared in scientific and technical usage in the 19th and early 20th centuries before remaining a rare term in modern English.

Initially, it referred to an instrument for viewing or observing the self; over time the term has remained rare and has also been applied in specialized contexts (e.g. clinical or experimental discussions of autoscopy).