'baler' originates from English, formed from the verb 'bale' + the agentive suffix '-er' (used to form nouns meaning 'one that bales' or 'a machine that bales').

'bale' existed in Middle English (as 'bale') meaning a bundle; it traces back to earlier Germanic words (compare Dutch 'bal' and German 'Ballen'). The agentive '-er' was then added in English to create 'baler'.

Initially it referred to a person or tool that made bales; over time the primary sense shifted toward mechanical devices (machines) used in agriculture and recycling.