'autosomal' originates from Modern scientific formation ultimately derived from Greek, specifically the elements 'autos' meaning 'self' and 'soma' meaning 'body', where 'autos' meant 'self' and 'soma' meant 'body'.

'autosomal' developed from the noun 'autosome' (formed from Greek roots in Modern/Neo-Latin scientific usage) plus the adjective-forming suffix '-al', eventually becoming the modern English adjective 'autosomal'.

Initially the roots referred literally to 'self' and 'body'; over time the compound came to denote chromosomes considered 'body' (non-sex) chromosomes and evolved into the present meaning 'relating to autosomes (non-sex chromosomes)'.