'salpingo-oophoritis' originates from New Latin/medical formation combining Greek roots: 'salping(o)-' from Greek 'salpinx' meaning 'tube' and 'oophor(o)-' from Greek 'ōophoron' meaning 'ovary', plus the Greek-derived suffix '-itis' meaning 'inflammation'.

'salpingo-oophoritis' was formed in modern medical English by joining the New Latin/Greek-derived combining forms 'salping(o)-' and 'oophor(o)-' with the diagnostic suffix '-itis'; these combining forms trace back to ancient Greek anatomical terms.

Initially the elements meant 'tube' ('salpinx') and 'ovary' ('ōophoron'); over time the combined formation has come to denote specifically 'inflammation of the fallopian tube and ovary'.