'biocentred' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'bios', where 'bios' meant 'life', and from Latin and Old French 'centre', specifically the Latin word 'centrum', where 'centrum' meant 'point' or 'center'.

'biocentred' changed from the combining form 'bio-' (from Greek 'bios') + 'centre' (from Latin 'centrum' via Old French) used in modern coinages such as 'biocentric' and 'biocentrism', and eventually became the English adjective 'biocentred' (with the alternative US spelling 'biocentered').

Initially, it meant 'having life as the center' or 'relating to life as the central value', and over time it has retained this sense, especially in environmental ethics to denote prioritizing living beings.