'anacard' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'anacardium', where 'ana-' meant 'up' and 'kardia' meant 'heart', referring to the heart-shaped fruit.

'anacardium' transformed into the Latin word 'anacardium', and eventually became the modern English word 'anacard'.

Initially, it referred to the heart-shaped fruit of the cashew tree, but over time it evolved to refer to the tree itself.