'bacteriogenic' originates from Modern Latin/Greek combining forms: 'bacterio-' from Modern Latin 'bacterium' (from Greek 'bakterion') meaning 'small rod' or 'staff', combined with the Greek-derived suffix '-genic' (from 'genēs') meaning 'producing' or 'originating'.

'bakterion' (Greek) became Latin 'bacterium', which entered scientific New Latin as the combining form 'bacterio-'; combined with the Greek-derived suffix '-genic' produced the modern scientific adjective 'bacteriogenic'.

Initially used in scientific contexts to indicate 'produced by bacteria' and over time has retained this specialized meaning referring to origins or production by bacteria.