'anelectrotonus' originates from Greek, specifically the prefix 'an-' meaning 'up' or 'on', and 'electrotonus' from 'ēlektron' meaning 'amber' (source of electricity) and 'tonos' meaning 'tension'.

'anelectrotonus' was formed in the 19th century as a scientific term in physiology, combining the Greek elements to describe a specific electrical phenomenon in nerves.

Initially, it referred specifically to the decreased excitability near the anode during electrical stimulation, and this meaning has remained consistent in modern physiology.