'antependium' originates from Medieval Latin, specifically the word 'antependium', where 'ante-' meant 'before' and Latin 'pendere' meant 'to hang'.

'antependium' was used in ecclesiastical Medieval Latin and entered English via church/Latin usage, keeping much the same form and sense as it became the English 'antependium'.

Initially it meant 'a hanging placed before (something)', but over time it developed the more specific modern sense 'an ornamental cloth hung before an altar or lectern'.