'chrysotile' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'chrysos' meaning 'gold' and 'tilos' meaning 'fiber', referring to the mineral's golden, fibrous appearance.

'chrysotile' was formed in the 19th century from the Greek roots 'chrysos' and 'tilos', and entered English scientific vocabulary as the name for this mineral.

Initially, it referred specifically to the golden, fibrous variety of serpentine minerals, but now it is used for the most common form of asbestos.