"employer contributions" - close. Employer contributions are ones made/through the employer, so it could all be from the employer, all from you via payroll deduction, and a mix of each.
The reason why the IRS does this, is that the "employer" contribution is handled differently than direct contributions. Direct contributions (whether by you or someone else) are deducted from gross income on line 13 on Schedule 1, (1040). So this saves you federal income tax.
But the amount with code W in box 12 of your W-2 (the employer contribution) is removed from Wages in boxes 1, 3, and 5 on your W-2 before it is printed. So not only do you get the tax benefit of less income tax on the employer contribution, but you also save 7.6% because you don't pay any Social Security or Medicare tax on the employer contribution either. This is a benefit that most taxpayers are unaware of.
People complain constantly about the terminology - and yes, it is confusing - but it is really in their best interests to handle it this way. But you do wonder if the IRS could have just called it "X".
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