'autotoxaemia' originates from Greek, specifically from the elements 'auto-' (meaning 'self'), 'toxikon'/'toxon' (meaning 'poison'), and 'haima' (meaning 'blood').

'autotoxaemia' entered medical Latin/Modern scientific usage in forms such as 'autotoxemia' in the 19th century and was adopted into English medical terminology with little change in form.

Initially it meant 'poisoning of the blood by substances produced within the body'; over time the term has remained largely consistent in meaning and is still used to denote endogenous blood poisoning.