'azotemic' originates from New Latin/modern medical formation, ultimately built from the root 'azot-' (from French 'azote' and Greek 'azōtos') meaning 'nitrogen' and the suffix '-emic' from Greek '-haima' via New Latin meaning 'blood condition'; the adjective is formed with the English suffix '-ic'.

'azotemic' developed from New Latin 'azotemia' (a combination of 'azot-' + '-emia'), which itself comes from French 'azote' (based on Greek 'azōtos' ἀζώτος 'not living' coined for nitrogen). The term entered English medical usage as 'azotemia' and later as the adjective 'azotemic'.

Originally the Greek element meant 'not living' (used to name the element nitrogen as 'azōtos'), then was applied to nitrogen and nitrogenous compounds; over time the formation 'azotemia' came to mean 'nitrogenous substances in the blood (excess)', and 'azotemic' now means 'relating to or exhibiting elevated blood nitrogenous wastes'.