'polyamide' originates from the Greek prefix 'poly-' (from Greek 'polus' meaning 'many') combined with 'amide', which comes via New Latin/French from the chemical name 'amide' (ultimately from Late Latin 'ammonia').

'amide' was coined in the early 19th century from 'ammonia' to name derivatives of ammonia; later, the prefix 'poly-' was attached to form 'polyamide' in modern chemical nomenclature to denote polymers with many amide groups.

Initially, 'amide' referred to a derivative of ammonia; over time, with the formation 'polyamide' it evolved to mean 'a polymer composed of many amide linkages' (e.g., nylons).