'anear' originates from Old English, specifically the prefix 'a-' meaning 'on' or 'at' and the word 'near' meaning 'close'.

'anear' was formed in Middle English by combining the prefix 'a-' with 'near', and eventually became the archaic or poetic word 'anear' in modern English.

Initially, it meant 'close by' or 'near', and this meaning has remained largely the same, though the word has fallen out of common usage.