'animalier' originates from French, specifically the word 'animalier', where 'animal' meant 'animal' and the suffix '-ier' indicated 'one who deals with or is concerned with'.

'animalier' entered English from French in the 19th century, used especially for artists who depicted animals; the French term itself comes from Medieval/Modern French formed from 'animal' + '-ier'.

Initially it meant 'relating to animals' or 'pertaining to animals' in French contexts, but in English it evolved to refer specifically to an artist who specializes in animal subjects or to the small animal sculptures they made.