'demasculinising' originates from Latin and French, specifically the Latin word 'masculinus' and the prefix 'de-'; 'masculinus' meant 'male' and 'de-' indicated removal or reversal.

'demasculinising' changed from French and English formations such as French 'demasculiniser' and English 'demasculinise' (modern English), ultimately deriving from Latin 'masculinus' via Old French and Middle English morphological patterns.

Initially it referred to the removal or loss of masculine qualities derived from Latin roots, and over time it has kept the same core sense of making something less masculine.