1570s, from Late Latin onomatopoeia, from Greek onomatopoiia "the making of a name or word" (in imitation of a sound associated with the thing being named), from onomatopoios, from onoma (genitive onomatos) "word, name" (see name, n.) + a derivative of poiein "compose, make" (see poet). Related: Onomatopoeic; onomatopoeial.