'glucocorticoid' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'glucocorticoid', where the prefix 'gluco-' derives from Greek 'glykys' meaning 'sweet' (referring to glucose), 'cortic-' derives from Latin 'cortex' meaning 'bark' or 'rind' (referring to the adrenal cortex), and the suffix '-oid' derives from Greek 'eidos' meaning 'form' or 'resembling'.

'glucocorticoid' was coined in modern scientific English in the 20th century by combining 'gluco-' (via Latin forms related to 'glucose') with 'cortic(o)-' (from Latin 'cortex') and the suffix '-oid'; the term arose as researchers identified hormones from the adrenal cortex that influence glucose metabolism and named them accordingly.

Initially the component parts referred separately to 'sugar' and 'cortex-like' elements; over time the compounded term evolved to mean 'steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex that affect glucose metabolism and modulate inflammation and immune function'.