'hemodynamics' originates from Modern English, formed from the combining form 'hemo-' and the word 'dynamics', where 'hemo-' derived from Greek 'haima' meant 'blood' and 'dynamics' from Greek 'dynamis' meant 'power' or 'force'.

'hemodynamics' was formed in English in the late 19th century by attaching the combining form 'haemo-' (British) or 'hemo-' (US) to 'dynamics'; 'dynamics' ultimately comes from Greek 'dynamis' and passed through Latin and Old/Middle French before entering English.

Initially it referred to 'the physical laws and forces of blood flow', but over time it came to mean both 'the study of those forces' and clinical 'measures/parameters of blood circulation'.