'mesodermalization' originates from Greek and modern English combining forms: Greek 'mesos' (μέσος) meaning 'middle' and Greek 'derma' (δέρμα) meaning 'skin' or 'layer', combined as 'mesoderm' + English adjectival suffix '-al' and nominalizing suffix '-ization' (from '-ize' + '-ation').

'mesodermalization' developed in scientific English by combining the 19th-century coinage 'mesoderm' (from Greek roots) with the productive English suffixes '-al' and '-ization' to form a noun meaning 'the process of becoming mesoderm'. The components 'meso-' + 'derm' produced 'mesoderm', which later yielded derivatives such as 'mesodermal' and then 'mesodermalization'.

Initially, related formations like 'mesoderm' simply named the middle germ layer; over time, derived terms such as 'mesodermalization' came into use to denote the active developmental process of forming that layer, a nuance that has persisted in modern embryology.