'anhysteretic' originates from Greek and modern scientific English, formed from the prefix 'an-' meaning 'without' plus 'hysteretic' (from 'hysteresis'), where Greek 'hystérēsis' meant 'a coming late, lagging behind.'

'hystérēsis' in Greek passed into New Latin as 'hystérésis' and English 'hysteresis'. The adjective 'hysteretic' formed in English with the suffix '-etic', and the compound adjective 'anhysteretic' subsequently developed in scientific usage (20th century).

Initially tied to the literal sense of 'without hysteresis', it came to be used specifically in physics and magnetism for reversible responses and ideal magnetization states.