'analepsis' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'analepsis', where 'ana-' meant 'back' or 'again' and 'lambanein' meant 'to take'.

'analepsis' was adopted into English from Late Latin 'analepsis', which came from Greek 'analepsis', and eventually became the modern English word 'analepsis'.

Initially, it meant 'a recovery or taking up again', but over time it evolved into its current literary meaning of 'a flashback or earlier event recounted in a narrative'.