'ballistocardiographic' originates from modern coinage combining Neo-Latin/Greek elements: specifically the Greek root 'ballein' (via 'ballist-') meaning 'to throw' (hence 'ballistic'), the Greek 'kardia' meaning 'heart', and Greek 'graphē' (via '-graphic') meaning 'writing' or 'recording'.

'ballistocardiographic' developed as an adjectival form from the noun 'ballistocardiography' (the technique/record), which itself was formed in the 20th century by combining 'ballisto-' (referring to ballistic motion) + 'cardio-' (heart) + '-graphy' (recording).

Initially coined to denote methods or recordings concerned with the heart's ballistic motion, the term has retained that technical, narrowly medical/physiological meaning in modern usage.