'dorsocaudal' originates from Latin, specifically the words 'dorsum' and 'cauda', where 'dors-' meant 'back' and 'caud-' meant 'tail'.

'dorsocaudal' is a modern anatomical compound formed by combining 'dorsal' (from Latin 'dorsum') and 'caudal' (from Latin 'cauda'); it developed in scientific English to describe a position between or toward the back and tail and does not have a long medieval usage history.

Initially, the separate terms meant 'back' (dorsal) and 'tail' (caudal); over time the compound came to be used to indicate a combined directional/positional concept: 'toward the back and the tail'.