'barograph' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'baros' and 'graphein', where 'baros' meant 'weight' or 'pressure' and 'graphein' meant 'to write'.

'barograph' was coined in English in the 19th century as a compound of the Greek combining forms 'baro-' and '-graph', and it entered modern English usage as 'barograph' referring to pressure-recording instruments.

Initially, it meant 'an instrument that writes or records pressure', and over time it has retained and specialized into the current meaning 'a device for continuously recording atmospheric pressure'.