'peroxide' originates from French, specifically the word 'peroxyde,' where 'per-' meant 'through' and 'oxyde' referred to 'oxide.'

'peroxyde' transformed into the English word 'peroxide' in the early 19th century.

Initially, it referred to any compound with an extra oxygen atom, but over time it evolved to specifically denote compounds with the O₂²⁻ anion.