'autotoxemia' originates from New Latin/Greek elements: Greek 'auto-' meaning 'self' and 'toxēma' (from 'toxikon') meaning 'poison' or 'poisoning', assembled in medical Latin to form 'autotoxemia'.

'autotoxemia' was coined in medical usage in the late 19th century from New Latin 'autotoxemia', itself formed by combining Greek 'autos' ('self') + 'toxēma' (poisoning); the term entered English medical literature unchanged as 'autotoxemia'.

Initially it referred specifically to the theory of blood poisoning by internally produced toxins; over time it has remained a term describing 'self-poisoning' of the blood, though its usage is now more clinical and often specified with modern pathological details.