'martinet' originates from French, specifically the surname 'Martinet' (a diminutive of 'Martin'), where the name originally functioned as a family name and diminutive form.

'martinet' changed from the French proper name 'Martinet' (notably associated with Jean Martinet, a 17th-century French army inspector known for strict drills) and was adopted into English to mean a strict disciplinarian.

Initially it referred to the proper name 'Martinet' (and in some older French uses a small whip or tool); over time it evolved into the English noun meaning 'a strict disciplinarian' or a small disciplinary implement.