'axisymmetric' originates from Greek and New Latin/Modern English, specifically the words 'axis' (from Greek 'axis') and 'symmetric' (from Greek 'symphysis/symmetria' via Latin), where 'axis' meant 'axle, line' and 'sym-' meant 'together' while 'metron' meant 'measure'.

'axisymmetric' developed from the combination of 'axis' + Latin/Greek-derived 'symmetricus' (or Middle/Modern Latin forms) and eventually entered English as 'axisymmetric' and the adverb form 'axisymmetrically'.

Initially it referred specifically to geometric or physical symmetry around an axis; over time it has retained that technical meaning and is still used to describe shapes, fields, or distributions that are symmetric about an axis.