'autropic'/'autotropic' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'autós' and 'tropē', where 'autós' meant 'self' and 'tropē' meant 'turning'.

'autotropic' developed from Greek 'autotropikos' into Late Latin/Neo-Latin forms (e.g. 'autotropicus') and was later used in Modern English as 'autotropic'; the adverb 'autotropically' is formed by adding the adverbial suffix '-ally' to the adjective.

Initially it carried the literal sense 'turning toward itself' (from the Greek components), and over time came to be used in biology/botany for 'relating to autotropism'—growth or movement directed by internal factors—now expressed as 'autotropic' or 'autotropically'.