'chlorotic' originates from New Latin/medical usage, ultimately from Greek, specifically the word 'khlōrós' (Greek χλωρός), where 'khlōrós' meant 'green' or 'pale green'.

'chlorotic' developed from the New Latin/medical noun 'chlorosis' (from Greek 'khlōrōsis', meaning a greening or chlorosis condition) and was adopted into English as the adjective 'chlorotic' to describe the condition or appearance.

Initially related to 'green' or 'greening' (in reference to color), the meaning shifted in medical and botanical contexts to denote a pathological paleness or yellowing (lack of normal green/chlorophyll) and now commonly means 'pale, anemic, or yellowed due to deficiency'.