'hyperuricemia' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'hyper' meaning 'over' or 'excessive', 'uric' from 'uric acid', and 'emia' meaning 'blood condition'.

'hyperuricemia' was formed by combining the Greek prefix 'hyper-' with 'uric acid' and the suffix '-emia', which is used in medical terminology to denote a blood condition.

Initially, it meant 'an excess of uric acid in the blood', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.