'thiophenyl' originates from 'thiophene', specifically the word 'thio-' meaning 'sulfur' and 'phenyl' referring to a benzene ring.

'thiophenyl' changed from the combination of 'thio-' and 'phenyl' in chemical nomenclature and eventually became the modern English word 'thiophenyl'.

Initially, it meant 'a sulfur-containing phenyl group', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.