'anhalonium' originates from Modern Latin, coined as a botanical genus name; its precise Greek components and formation are uncertain.

'anhalonium' was used in 19th‑century botanical Latin as a cactus genus and later gave way to the genus name 'Lophophora,' leaving 'anhalonium' as a historical/dated term in English.

Initially, it meant a specific cactus genus; over time, it was also used to refer to peyote or its dried tops, and today it survives mainly as a historical or specialized term.