'rentierism' originates from French, specifically the word 'rentier', where 'rente' meant 'income, rent'.

'rentier' developed from Old French 'rente' (income, payment), ultimately from Latin roots related to 'redditus' (a return); English adopted 'rentier' to mean a person living on rents, and the suffix '-ism' was later added to form 'rentierism' to denote the system or condition.

Initially, related terms referred primarily to a person living off rents or fixed income; over time the usage broadened to describe an economic system or social condition characterized by reliance on such passive income and by rent-seeking behaviour.