'anacahuita' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'anacahuita', which is derived from the Nahuatl word 'anacahuitl', where 'ana-' meant 'tree' and 'cahuitl' meant 'wood'.

'anacahuitl' transformed into the Spanish word 'anacahuita', and eventually became the modern English word 'anacahuita'.

Initially, it referred to the tree itself, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.