'anatidae' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'Anatidae', where 'Anas' meant 'duck' and '-idae' is a suffix used in zoological taxonomy to denote a family.

'Anatidae' was formed in modern scientific classification from Latin roots and became the standard family name for ducks, geese, and swans in English zoological terminology.

Initially, it meant 'the family of ducks', and over time it has come to include geese and swans as well, referring to the entire family Anatidae.