'ancistrocladaceous' originates from modern scientific Latin, specifically from the family name 'Ancistrocladaceae', which is derived from the genus name 'Ancistrocladus', where 'ankistron' (Greek) meant 'hook' and 'klados' meant 'branch'.

'Ancistrocladaceae' was formed in modern taxonomy from Greek roots and became the English adjective 'ancistrocladaceous' to describe plants of this family.

Initially, it referred specifically to the family of tropical climbing plants with hooked branches, and this meaning has remained unchanged in modern usage.