'anteropygal' is a Neo-Latin/technical formation combining the prefix 'antero-' (from Latin 'ante' meaning 'before' via 'anterior') and the element 'pygal' from Greek 'pygidion' meaning 'rump' or 'rear part'.

'anteropygal' was formed in modern scientific/entomological usage by joining the combining form 'antero-' with the element 'pygal' (from Greek 'pygidion'), creating a specialized adjective used in morphological descriptions rather than evolving through common-language Middle English.

The components originally meant 'before' and 'rump'; together they have the specialized, literal anatomical meaning 'situated in front of the pygidium' and have retained that technical sense.