'hormone' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'hormā́ō' (or noun form 'hormōn'), where the root 'horm-' meant 'to set in motion' or 'impel'. The modern English scientific term was coined in the early 20th century.

'hormone' was coined in English (credited to Ernest Starling, 1905) from Greek elements; the modern scientific English word 'hormone' entered usage to name chemical messengers in physiology.

Initially derived from the Greek sense of 'that which sets in motion', it came to denote specifically biochemical substances that 'set in motion' physiological processes; the core idea of causing action has been retained but narrowed to biological signaling.