The term "staph" is a 20th-century English abbreviation of the medical term "staphylococcus." The full term "staphylococcus" originates from Modern Latin, combining the Greek elements "staphylē," meaning "a bunch of grapes," and "kokkos," meaning "berry" or "seed." This name was chosen because, under a microscope, the bacteria cells often cluster together in a pattern resembling a bunch of grapes. The clipped form "staph" retains the core reference to this specific bacterial genus while becoming the standard, informal term used in both medical and general contexts.

The word is a modern English shortening. It is a clipped form derived from the full scientific name "staphylococcus."