'anteroventrally' originates from combining the prefix 'antero-' (from Latin 'ante' via 'anterior', meaning 'before' or 'front') and 'ventral' (from Latin 'venter', meaning 'belly'), with the English adverbial suffix '-ly'.

'anteroventrally' developed from the adjective 'anteroventral' (formed in medical/New Latin usage by combining 'antero-' + 'ventral') and then the English suffix '-ly' was added to create the adverb 'anteroventrally'.

Initially the elements meant 'before/front' and 'belly'; over time the combined term came to denote the anatomical direction 'toward the front and belly side', which 'anteroventrally' retains as its specific adverbial meaning.