'arthropodous' originates from Modern English, formed from the noun 'arthropod' plus the adjectival suffix '-ous'; 'arthropod' ultimately comes from Greek, specifically the word 'arthropodos', where 'arthron' meant 'joint' and 'pous' meant 'foot'.

'arthropodous' developed from the New Latin/Modern English formation based on 'Arthropoda' (coined in the 19th century from Greek elements) combined with '-ous', yielding the modern adjective 'arthropodous'.

Initially the components signified 'joint' and 'foot' (i.e., 'jointed foot'), and over time the compounded term shifted to the broader modern meaning 'relating to or resembling arthropods'.