'eutrophic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'eutrophos' (from the elements 'eu-' + 'trophē'), where 'eu-' meant 'well' and 'trophē' meant 'nourishment'.

'eutrophic' was formed in modern scientific English via Neo-Latin/coinage from Greek roots (compare Neo-Latin 'eutrophia') and entered ecology and limnology vocabulary in the late 19th to early 20th century.

Initially it meant 'well-nourished' in a general sense, but over time it became specialized to mean 'rich in nutrients' particularly describing bodies of water or soils and often implying harmful algal overgrowth and reduced oxygen levels.