'removal' originates from Middle English, ultimately from Old French (removement / remouvoir) and from Latin 'removere', where 're-' meant 'back/again' and 'movere' meant 'to move'.

'removere' in Latin changed into Old French forms such as 'remouvoir'/'removement', entered Middle English as 'removen'/'removal' and eventually developed into the modern English noun 'removal' (plural 'removals').

Initially it meant 'to move back' or 'to move away', and over time it broadened to mean 'the act of taking away', 'dismissal from office', 'moving household goods', or 'surgical extraction' in modern usage.