'anteromarginal' originates from a modern scientific formation combining the Latin-derived combining form 'antero-' (from 'anterior', ultimately from Latin 'ante' meaning 'before') and 'marginal' (from Latin 'margo' meaning 'edge').

'antero-' comes via Latin 'anterior' (comparative of 'ante') and was used in medieval and early modern anatomical Latin; 'marginal' comes from Old French/Latin ('marginalis' from 'margo'). These elements were combined in modern scientific English to form 'anteromarginal' for descriptive anatomy and entomology.

Initially the elements literally meant 'before' + 'edge' (i.e., 'at the front edge'); over time the compound has been used specifically as a technical adjective in anatomical and taxonomic descriptions to denote position relative to a front margin.