'bacteriform' originates from New Latin, specifically from the New Latin word 'bacterium' and the Latin element 'form(a)', where 'bacterium' ultimately derives from Greek 'bakterion' meaning 'little rod' and 'forma' meant 'shape'.

'bacteriform' changed from the New Latin/Modern-Latin combination of 'bacterium' + Latin 'forma' and entered scientific English in the 19th century as a coinage to describe shapes resembling bacteria.

Initially it referred to rod-like form (reflecting the original 'little rod' sense of 'bakterion'), and over time it has retained the specialized meaning 'having the shape of bacteria'.