'basidiomycetes' originates from New Latin, specifically the New Latin word 'Basidiomycetes', where 'basidi-' comes from Greek 'basidion' meaning 'small base' and 'mycetes' comes from Greek 'mykēs' meaning 'fungus'.

'basidiomycetes' was formed in Modern/ New Latin in the 19th century from Greek roots 'basidion' and 'mykēs' and was adopted into English scientific usage to name the group of fungi now generally placed in the Basidiomycota.

Initially, it meant 'fungi bearing a little base (basidium) that produces spores'; over time it has come to denote the taxonomic group of such fungi (Basidiomycota) and the organisms within it.