'barytone' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'βαρύτονος' (barýtonos), where 'βαρύς' (barus) meant 'heavy' and 'τόνος' (tonos) meant 'tone' or 'accent'.

'barytone' passed into Late Latin as 'barytonus' and through medieval scholarship into English; the related Italian form 'baritono' and modern English 'baritone' are closely connected, with 'barytone' preserved as an older or technical variant.

Initially, it literally meant 'heavy tone' in Greek; over time it came to denote a particular middle-low male singing voice and, in linguistic contexts, a word not accented on the final syllable.