'avulse' originates from Latin, specifically the past participle 'avulsus' of the verb 'avellere', where 'ab-' meant 'away' and 'vellere' meant 'to pluck or tear'.

'avulse' changed from Late Latin/Medieval Latin 'avulsus' (and entered Romance languages as forms such as Old French 'avulser') and eventually became the modern English word 'avulse' as a technical term.

Initially, it meant 'to pluck or tear away', and this basic sense has been retained; over time it became specialized for medical, geological, and legal contexts meaning 'to be torn away or to remove by tearing'.