'ortho-aminobenzoyl' originates from Greek and modern chemical New Latin and Medieval/Modern Latin elements, specifically the prefixes and roots 'ortho-', 'amino', and 'benzoyl', where 'ortho-' meant 'straight' or 'correct' (Greek 'orthos'), 'amino' derived from 'amine' related to Latin/Modern French 'ammonia' meaning 'of ammonia', and 'benzoyl' derived from Modern Latin 'benzoyl' ultimately from 'benzoin' (a resin).

'ortho-aminobenzoyl' formed in 19th-century organic nomenclature by combining 'ortho-' (a positional prefix from Greek), 'amino' (from 'amine'), and 'benzoyl' (from 'benzoin' via Latin), and this compound term became standard in chemical names and descriptions.

Initially, the components referred separately to 'orthos' meaning 'straight/correct', 'amino' relating to ammonia-derived groups, and 'benzoyl' to a radical derived from benzoin; over time these parts were fused in systematic chemical nomenclature to denote a single specific substituent meaning 'a benzoyl group bearing an amino at the ortho position.'