'auxospore' originates from Greek elements: the prefix 'auxo-' from Greek 'auxein' meaning 'to increase, grow', and 'spore' from Greek 'spora' meaning 'seed' or 'sowing'.

'auxospore' was formed in modern scientific (Neo-Latin/English) usage by combining the Greek-derived prefix 'auxo-' with 'spore' (from Greek 'spora'); the term appears in biological literature to describe growth-restoring reproductive cells.

Initially constructed to mean 'an increasing/growing spore' from its Greek roots, it has come to denote specifically the specialized cell in certain algae that restores cell size during/after sexual reproduction.