'Anthesteria' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the word 'Ἀνθεστήρια' (Anthestēria), where 'ἄνθος' (anthos) meant 'flower'.

'Anthesteria' was transmitted as a learned borrowing from Classical Greek (via Latin and modern scholarly usage) into English; the form has been preserved largely unchanged in modern scholarly and historical writing.

Initially, it meant 'a festival (literally a flower-related or spring festival) celebrating new wine'; over time the term has been retained in scholarship to refer specifically to that Athenian festival and its associated rites.