'anchitherium' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'ankhítherion' (Ἀγχίθηριον), where 'anchi-' meant 'near' and 'therion' meant 'beast.'

'Anchitherium' was coined in modern scientific Latin in the 19th century using Greek roots and adopted unchanged as the genus name in paleontology.

Initially, the components conveyed a general sense of a 'near beast' (i.e., an animal similar to others); over time the combined form came to denote this specific extinct genus of early horses.