'cladogenetic' originates from modern New Latin/Greek-derived formation, specifically from Neo-Latin 'cladogeneticus' built on Greek 'klados' meaning 'branch' and Greek 'genesis' meaning 'origin' or 'creation'.

'cladogenetic' was formed in scientific usage from the noun 'cladogenesis' (late 19th–20th century coinage combining Greek elements), and the adjective suffix '-etic' (via Neo-Latin) produced the adjective 'cladogenetic'.

Initially, the root elements meant 'branch' and 'origin'; over time the composite has been used in biology to mean 'pertaining to branching speciation', a meaning that has remained stable in scientific contexts.