'ballute' originates from English, specifically as a blend of 'balloon' and 'parachute', where 'balloon' meant 'a flexible bag that can be inflated' and 'parachute' meant 'a device to slow descent'.

'ballute' was coined in aerospace contexts in the mid-20th century as a portmanteau combining the concepts of a balloon and a parachute; it entered technical usage to name inflatable aerodynamic decelerators and has been used in engineering literature since then.

Initially it referred to experimental inflatable decelerators tested for atmospheric entry; over time it has come to denote that class of inflatable aerodynamic braking devices more generally.