'antececal' originates from Latin, specifically the prefix 'ante-' and the word 'caecum', where 'ante-' meant 'before' and 'caecum' meant 'blind (a blind pouch)'.

'antececal' changed from Medieval Latin forms such as 'antecaecalis' and was formed in Modern English by combining 'ante-' + 'cecal' (from Latin 'caecum'), eventually becoming the modern English 'antececal'.

Initially, it meant 'before the cecum' (literally), and over time it has retained that specific anatomical meaning of 'situated anterior to the cecum'.