'Anthroposophical' originates from German and Greek, specifically the German word 'Anthroposophie' (from Greek 'anthropos' + 'sophia'), where 'anthropos' meant 'human' and 'sophia' meant 'wisdom'. The English adjective is formed by adding the suffix '-ical' to 'anthroposophy'.

'Anthroposophical' changed from German 'anthroposophisch' and the English noun 'anthroposophy' (coined in the 19th century) and eventually became the English adjective 'anthroposophical' through the addition of the suffix '-ical'.

Initially it meant 'pertaining to human wisdom' (from the Greek roots), but over time it came to mean specifically 'relating to the spiritual movement called anthroposophy and its teachings'.