'anisopterous' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'anisos' and 'pteron', where 'anisos' meant 'unequal' and 'pteron' meant 'wing'.

'anisopterous' was formed from the New Latin taxonomic name 'Anisoptera' (used for the suborder of dragonflies), which itself derives from Greek 'Anisopteron'; the adjective form was adopted into English as 'anisopterous'.

Initially it literally meant 'unequal-winged'; over time the term became specialized in entomology to refer to insects of the group Anisoptera (dragonflies) or to the condition of unequal wings.