'lanceolata' originates from Latin, specifically the Medieval/ Botanical Latin word 'lanceolatus', where 'lancea' meant 'lance, spear' and the suffix '-atus' meant 'provided with' or 'having the form of'.

'lanceolata' changed from Medieval/Botanical Latin 'lanceolatus' (and its gendered forms 'lanceolata', 'lanceolatum') and was adopted into modern botanical English usage as descriptive Latin-derived adjectives (e.g., 'lanceolate' in English descriptions).

Initially, it meant 'provided with or like a small lance' in Latin descriptive usage; over time it stabilized into the technical botanical meaning 'spear-shaped (narrow and tapering)', used to describe leaf shape.