'urniform' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'urna', where 'urna' meant 'a vessel, urn', combined with the suffix '-form' from Latin 'forma' meaning 'shape'.

'urniform' changed from Medieval/Neo-Latin formations such as 'urniformis' and was adopted into modern English as 'urniform' to describe objects that have the shape of an urn.

Initially, it meant 'having the shape of an urn', and over time it has retained that specific descriptive meaning in botanical and morphological contexts.