'quinoline' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'quinum', meaning 'Peruvian bark' (from which quinine is derived), combined with the chemical suffix '-ine'.

'quinoline' was formed in the mid-19th century from 'quinine' (an alkaloid from cinchona bark) and the suffix '-oline' (as in aniline), and eventually became the modern English word 'quinoline'.

Initially, it referred to a chemical compound related to quinine, but over time it came to specifically mean the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound used in chemical manufacturing.