'endozoochory' originates from New Latin/Greek, specifically the elements 'endo-' (from Greek 'endon') meaning 'within', 'zoo-' (from Greek 'zōion') meaning 'animal', and the suffix '-chory' (from Greek 'khorein') meaning 'to spread or disperse'.

'zoochory' was established in biological terminology to mean 'dispersal by animals'; later the compounded form 'endozoochory' was coined to specify dispersal that occurs inside animals rather than on their exterior.

Initially, terms in this family broadly referred to 'dispersal by animals'; over time 'endozoochory' came to specify specifically 'internal' dispersal (seeds passing through the digestive tract).