'musicalize' originates from Modern English, specifically the word 'musical' combined with the suffix '-ize', where 'musical' meant 'of or relating to music' and '-ize' meant 'to make or to render'.

'musicalize' developed by adding the productive suffix '-ize' (from Greek -izein via French -iser) to the adjective 'musical'; British spelling 'musicalise' also appears as a variant and both forms have been used in modern English.

Initially it meant 'to make or render something musical', and over time it has retained that core meaning while being applied in contexts like arranging, scoring, or adding musical elements.