'anagram' originates from French, specifically the word 'anagramme', which came from the Late Latin 'anagramma', where 'ana-' meant 'back, again' and 'gramma' meant 'letter'.

'anagramma' transformed into the French word 'anagramme', and eventually became the modern English word 'anagram'.

Initially, it meant 'transposition of letters to form new words', and this meaning has remained the same in modern usage.