'azotorrhoea' originates from New Latin/modern formation combining the prefix 'azoto-' from French 'azote' (ultimately from Greek 'azotos') meaning 'nitrogen' (literally 'not living') and the suffix '-rrhoea' from Greek 'rheo-/rhēo' meaning 'to flow' or 'discharge'.

'azotorrhoea' was formed in modern medical/Scientific New Latin by combining 'azoto-' (from French/Greek for nitrogen) with the Greek-derived suffix '-rrhoea'; it entered English medical usage in this compounded form.

Originally the elements literally referred to a 'flow or discharge of azote (nitrogen)'; the term has come to denote clinically the excessive presence or excretion of nitrogenous (protein) waste in the feces.