'axofugal' originates from a combination of Latin and Greek-derived elements: the Latin word 'axis' (from Latin 'axis' or Greek 'axōn') and the Latin root 'fug-' from 'fugere' meaning 'to flee', combined into the adjectival suffix '-fugal' meaning 'fleeing from' or 'directed away from'.

'axofugal' was formed in modern English by analogy with terms like 'centrifugal' (from Latin 'centrum' + 'fugere'); the element 'axo-' (from 'axis'/'axōn') plus '-fugal' produced 'axofugal' to express 'fleeing from or away from an axis'.

Initially coined to mean 'fleeing from an axis' in a literal morphological sense, it has come to be used in technical contexts to mean 'directed away from the axis' (a neutral directional descriptor rather than implying motion with intent to 'flee').