'lymphogenic' originates from New Latin/Greek formation: 'lympho-' from Latin 'lympha' (from Greek 'lympha') meaning 'water' (used for the bodily fluid lymph) and '-genic' from Greek 'genēs'/'gen-' meaning 'producing' or 'originating'.

'lymphogenic' was formed in New Latin as a compound (e.g. Late Latin/New Latin 'lymphogenicus') and was later adopted into English as the adjective 'lymphogenic'.

Initially it meant 'produced by or arising from lymph (or lymphatic tissue)', and over time it has retained this medical/scientific sense, sometimes broadened to imply spread via the lymphatic system.