'anhydrite' originates from German 'Anhydrit' and French 'anhydrite', ultimately from Greek 'anhydros,' where 'an-' meant 'without' and 'hydor' meant 'water'.

'anhydros' passed through New Latin into German 'Anhydrit' and French 'anhydrite', and eventually became the modern English word 'anhydrite' in the early 19th century.

Initially, it meant 'without water', but over time it came to denote the specific water-free calcium sulfate mineral and material.