'anthologize' originates from Modern English, specifically from the noun 'anthology' plus the verb-forming suffix '-ize', where 'anthology' ultimately comes from Greek 'anthologia' and 'anthos' meant 'flower' and 'logia' (from legein) related to 'gather/collect'.

'anthologize' developed from the noun 'anthology' (from Greek 'anthologia' via Late Latin/Old French and then English 'anthology') with the productivity of English '-ize' to form verbs, resulting in the modern English verb 'anthologize'.

Initially, the Greek root referred literally to a 'collection of flowers' (a metaphor for chosen pieces); over time this sense of "a selected collection" shifted to literary use and 'anthologize' came to mean 'to collect or include works in an anthology'.