Late 19th century; earliest use found in Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society. From scientific Latin Linguatula, genus name (G. F. von Froelich 1789, in Naturforscher 24 148; from post-classical Latin linguatus + -ulus + -a) + -id, after scientific Latin Linguatulida, former family and subclass name and Linguatulidae, family name (S. S. Haldeman 1851).