'mitotically' originates from 'mitosis', which comes from Greek, specifically the word 'mitos', where 'mitos' meant 'thread'. The suffix '-ically' is added to form the adverb.

'mitosis' was coined in the late 19th century from Greek 'mitos' and the scientific suffix '-osis', and 'mitotically' was later formed as the adverbial form of 'mitotic'.

Initially, it referred to anything relating to 'mitosis' (cell division), and 'mitotically' has always meant 'in a manner relating to mitosis'.