'hypha' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'hyphē' (ὑφή), where 'hyphē' meant 'web' or 'weaving'.

'hypha' entered English via New Latin/Modern Latin 'hypha' (plural 'hyphae') from Greek 'hyphē' and became the modern English term 'hypha' with plural 'hyphae'.

Initially, it referred to a 'web' or 'woven thread' in Greek, and over time it came to denote the 'threadlike filament' of fungi now expressed by 'hypha'/'hyphae'.