'anopisthograph' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'anopisthographos', where 'an-' meant 'not', 'opistho-' meant 'behind' or 'on the back', and 'graph' meant 'writing'.

'anopisthograph' changed from the Greek word 'anopisthographos' and (via learned Medieval/Modern Latin formations such as 'anopisthographus') entered English as a learned borrowing in scholarly contexts from the 18th–19th century.

Initially it meant 'not written on the back' (i.e., lacking writing on the verso), and over time it has been used to refer to a sheet or manuscript 'written only on one side' in bibliographical descriptions.