'anethol' originates from French, specifically the word 'anéthol', which was derived from 'anise' and the chemical suffix '-ol', where 'anise' referred to the plant and '-ol' indicated an alcohol group.

'anéthol' was adopted into English as 'anethole', and the plural form is 'anethols'.

Initially, it meant 'the main aromatic compound in anise', and this meaning has remained the same in modern usage.