'anteroparietal' originates from a combination in New Latin of the prefix 'antero-' (ultimately from Latin 'ante' meaning 'before', via Late Latin 'anterior') and 'parietal' (from Latin 'parietalis', from 'paries' meaning 'wall'), used in anatomical formation.

'parietal' developed from Latin 'paries' ('wall') to Medieval/Scientific Latin 'parietalis' and entered English as 'parietal'; the compound 'anteroparietal' formed later in modern anatomical terminology by prefixing 'antero-' to 'parietal'.

Initially, 'parietal' referred broadly to a 'wall' or 'wall-like' structure; over time it became specialized to refer to the parietal bone/region of the skull and brain, and 'anteroparietal' came to mean specifically the front portion of that parietal region.