'glaciogenic' originates from a combination of Latin and Greek elements: Latin 'glacies' meaning 'ice' (giving the prefix 'glaci-') and Greek-derived suffix '-genic' (from Greek 'genēs' / 'gen-' meaning 'born of' or 'producing').

'glaciogenic' was formed in scientific/Neo-Latin usage (19th century) as a compound roughly *glaci(o)-genic*, modeled on classical combining forms; it entered English geological vocabulary as 'glaciogenic' to describe materials and processes produced by glaciers.

Initially coined to describe origin or production by glaciers in geological contexts; its meaning has remained substantially the same, denoting things produced by or related to glacial activity.