'tuberculogenic' originates from Latin and Greek elements: specifically Latin 'tuberculum' (the diminutive of Latin 'tuber') where 'tuber' meant 'swelling' or 'lump', combined with the Greek-derived suffix '-genic' (from Greek 'gen-' / 'genein' / 'genēs') meaning 'producing'.

'tuberculogenic' developed from the Latin noun 'tuberculum' (via French 'tubercule' and the English combining form 'tuberculo-') plus the productive suffix '-genic' borrowed from Greek-derived scientific vocabulary, eventually forming the modern English adjective 'tuberculogenic'.

Initially it conveyed the sense 'producing a tubercle (a small swelling)'; over time its medical use narrowed to mean 'causing tuberculosis or producing tubercle lesions' in pathological contexts.