'anthracemia' originates from Greek via New Latin/medical coinage, specifically from 'anthrax' (Greek 'ἄνθραξ') meaning 'coal' and 'haima' (Greek 'αἷμα') meaning 'blood', combined with the New Latin suffix '-emia' (from Greek '-haima').

'anthracemia' was formed in New Latin medical terminology by joining 'anthrac-' (from Greek 'anthrax') with the suffix '-emia' (from Greek 'haima'), and was later adopted into English as a technical medical term.

Initially it referred generally to conditions related to coal or carbon; over time it has come to denote specifically the presence of coal or black carbon pigment in the blood.