'bacteriaceae' originates from New Latin, specifically the formation from 'Bacterium' plus the family suffix '-aceae', where 'Bacterium' ultimately comes from Greek 'bakterion' meaning 'small staff' or 'rod'.

'bacteriaceae' developed as a New Latin taxonomic formation: Greek 'bakterion' → Latinized 'bacterium' → compound with the familial suffix '-aceae' (borrowed from botanical nomenclature) to form the modern family name 'bacteriaceae'.

Initially derived from a word meaning 'small rod' (referring to cell shape), it evolved into the modern meaning 'a family of bacteria'.