'anglerfish' originates from English, specifically the compound of 'angler' and 'fish', where 'angler' meant 'one who fishes with a hook' and 'fish' meant 'aquatic animal'.

'angler' comes from Old English 'angel' meaning 'fishhook', ultimately from Proto-Germanic *angulaz; the modern compound 'anglerfish' was formed in Modern English (recorded from around the 19th century) to name fishes of the order Lophiiformes.

Initially, 'angler' meant 'one who uses a hook' or 'fishhook' in sense; over time the compound 'anglerfish' developed to refer specifically to a group of deep-sea fishes that use a lure to attract prey.