'biogenicity' originates from Modern English, formed from the combining form 'bio-' (from Greek 'bios' meaning 'life') + 'genic' (from Greek 'gennan'/'genesis' meaning 'to produce, origin') + the noun-forming suffix '-ity' (from Latin '-itas').

'biogenicity' arose by analogy from the adjective 'biogenic' (19th century coinage from New Latin/Greek roots) with the later English nominalizing suffix '-ity' to create a noun meaning 'the state or quality of being biogenic'.

Initially constructed to denote the state of being produced by life, it has remained a technical term used especially in geology, paleontology, and astrobiology to refer to evidence or the condition of biological origin.