'anisophylly' originates from Neo-Latin/Greek elements, specifically from Greek 'anisos' and 'phyllon', where 'anisos' meant 'unequal' and 'phyllon' meant 'leaf'.

'anisophylly' was formed in modern botanical usage from the Greek roots via Neo-Latin (compare Neo-Latin 'anisophyllus'/'anisophyllia') and entered English as a technical botanical term.

Initially it referred specifically to the state of having unequal leaves (from the Greek roots), and this technical meaning has been retained in modern botanical usage.