'anopla' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'an-' and 'hoplon', where 'an-' meant 'without' and 'hoplon' meant 'weapon'.

'anopla' was coined in New Latin (taxonomic usage) from Greek elements and adopted in zoological classification in the 19th century to denote nemerteans lacking a stylet.

Initially it meant 'without weapon' (a literal sense from the Greek elements), but over time it came to be used specifically for nemertean worms 'without a stylet' in zoological taxonomy.