'tyrosinase' originates from the chemical name 'tyrosine' + the enzyme-forming suffix '-ase'; 'tyrosine' ultimately comes from Greek 'tyros' meaning 'cheese' (named because it was first isolated from cheese), and the suffix '-ase' was coined in biochemistry to denote enzymes.

'tyrosinase' developed as a modern biochemical formation by combining the existing noun 'tyrosine' with the productive suffix '-ase' (used since the late 19th century for enzymes), producing the established enzyme name 'tyrosinase'.

Initially the root 'tyrosine' referenced a substance isolated from cheese, but over time the derived term 'tyrosinase' has come to specifically denote the enzyme that acts on tyrosine, especially in melanin synthesis.