'hypochromia' originates from Greek, specifically the prefix 'hypo-' and the word 'chroma', where 'hypo-' meant 'under' and 'chroma' meant 'color'.

'hypochromia' was formed in New Latin/medical Latin from the Greek components 'hypo-' + 'chroma' and entered English usage through 19th-century medical literature as a technical term.

Initially it meant 'under-color' or 'reduced color' in a literal sense, but it evolved into the modern medical meaning of 'reduced hemoglobin (color) in red blood cells'.