'hexosamine' originates from 'hexose' (a six-carbon sugar) and the suffix '-amine', where 'hexose' meant 'six-carbon sugar' and '-amine' indicated the presence of an amino group.

'hexosamine' was formed in modern scientific English by combining 'hexose' and 'amine', and has been used in biochemistry since the early 20th century.

Initially, it meant 'an amino sugar derived from a hexose', and this meaning has remained unchanged in modern usage.