'basidiomycetous' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'Basidiomycetes' combined with the adjective-forming suffix '-ous', where 'basidio-' meant 'little pedestal' and 'mycete' (from 'mykes') meant 'fungus'.

'basidiomycetous' developed from the taxonomic New Latin 'Basidiomycetes' (the group name for those fungi), which in turn traces back to Greek roots such as 'basidion' and 'mykes'; the modern English adjective formed by adding '-ous' to the taxonomic stem.

Initially, the element referred specifically to the taxon 'Basidiomycetes'; over time it came to be used adjectivally to mean 'relating to or having the characteristics of Basidiomycetes'.