'anapaest' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'anapaestus', which came from Greek 'anapaistos', where 'ana-' meant 'back' and 'paiein' meant 'to strike'.

'anapaistos' transformed into the Latin word 'anapaestus', and eventually became the modern English word 'anapaest'.

Initially, it referred to a metrical foot in Greek and Latin poetry, and this meaning has remained consistent in modern English.