'biotite' originates from French, specifically the word 'biotite', where the name 'Biot' refers to the French physicist 'Jean-Baptiste Biot' and the suffix '-ite' meant 'a mineral' or 'rock'.

'biotite' was coined in French in the 19th century (named after Biot) and was adopted into English in the same form 'biotite'.

Initially, it meant 'a mineral named after Biot'; over time it has retained this specific mineralogical sense, referring to the group of dark mica minerals.