'onomatopoeia' originates from Modern Latin, specifically the word 'onomatopoeia', ultimately from Greek 'onomatopoiía' (ὀνοματοποιία), where 'ónoma' meant 'name' and 'poieîn' meant 'to make'.

'onomatopoeia' changed from Greek 'onomatopoiía' into Late/Medieval Latin forms and then entered Middle English (as 'onomatopoeia' / 'onomatopœia'), eventually becoming the modern English 'onomatopoeia'.

Initially it referred broadly to 'the making of a name' or 'name-creation,' but over time it narrowed to mean specifically 'words formed to imitate sounds.'