'anthological' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'anthologia', where the root 'anthos' meant 'flower' and 'logia' (from 'legein') conveyed 'gathering' or 'collection'.

'anthologia' passed into Late Latin and Medieval/Modern French and then into English as 'anthology'; the English adjective 'anthological' was formed by adding the adjectival suffix '-ical' to this noun.

Initially it meant 'a gathering of flowers' (used metaphorically for 'a collection of choice passages'), and over time it came to mean 'a collection of literary works'; 'anthological' now means 'relating to such a collection.'