'grapevine' is an English compound of 'grape' + 'vine'. 'Grape' comes via Old French/Medieval Latin (e.g. Old French 'grape' / Medieval Latin 'grappus') meaning 'a bunch (of grapes)', and 'vine' comes from Old English and ultimately Latin 'vinea' meaning 'vine' or 'vineyard'.

'grape' and 'vine' were used separately in Old and Middle English and by compounding in Middle English formed 'grape-vine' which later became the single word 'grapevine' in modern English; the figurative sense referring to informal rumor networks developed later.

Initially it referred only to the plant that bears grapes; over time it also acquired a figurative meaning of an informal network for spreading rumors or unofficial information ('the grapevine').