'anocarpous' originates from New Latin (scientific Latin), specifically the word 'anocarpus', where the prefix 'a-' (from Greek) meant 'not' and 'karpos' meant 'fruit'.

'anocarpus' came from Greek components 'a-' + 'karpos' and was used in New Latin botanical terminology, later entering English as 'anocarpous' with the adjectival -ous ending.

Initially it meant 'not bearing fruit' in scientific/Latin usage, and this meaning has been retained in modern English botanical usage as 'not producing fruit'.