'liftoff' originates from the combination of the words 'lift' and 'off', where 'lift' meant 'to raise' and 'off' indicated 'away from a place'.

'liftoff' was formed in the mid-20th century as a term used in the context of space exploration.

Initially, it meant 'the act of lifting off the ground', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.