'restock' originates from the English combination of the prefix 're-' (from Latin 're-') and 'stock' (from Old English 'stoc'), where 're-' meant 'again' and 'stock' meant 'supply' or 'store of goods'.

'stock' comes from Old English 'stoc' (meaning 'tree trunk, post' and later 'supply, store'), which developed into the modern English 'stock'. The verb 'restock' was formed in modern English by adding the prefix 're-' to 'stock' to mean 'to stock again'.

Initially, 'stock' related to a physical 'post' or 'trunk' and later to a 'supply'; 'restock' was coined to mean 'to supply again' and has retained this sense of 'refilling inventory' in modern usage.