'gonozooid' originates from New Latin/Modern coinage in zoology, combining the Greek-derived prefix 'gono-' (from Greek 'gonos') meaning 'seed, offspring, reproduction' and 'zooid' (from Greek 'zoon'/'zooidēs') meaning 'animal-like form'.

'gonozooid' was formed in modern biological terminology by combining Greek roots 'gonos' and 'zoon' (via New Latin usage) and entered zoological literature in the 19th century to denote reproductive individuals in colonies.

Initially coined to mean 'a reproductive animal-form within a colony,' the term has retained that specialized biological meaning in modern usage.