'anisocotylous' originates from New Latin/botanical formation, specifically from Greek elements 'anisos' meaning 'unequal' and 'kotylē' (κοτύλη) meaning 'cup' (used in 'cotyledon' for a seed leaf).

'anisocotylous' was formed in modern botanical Latin from the combining form 'aniso-' + 'cotylous' (relating to 'cotyledon'). 'Cotyledon' itself comes from Greek 'kotylidion' (a diminutive of 'kotylē', 'cup'), passed into Latin and then into English botanical usage.

Initially the roots meant 'unequal' and 'cup/small cup' respectively; over time the compound came to denote the specific botanical condition 'having unequal cotyledons'.