'anthropic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'ἄνθρωπος' (transliterated 'anthrōpos'), where the root 'anthrop-' meant 'human'.

'anthropic' passed into Late Latin/Medieval Latin as 'anthropicus' (from Greek 'anthropikos') and was adopted into English as 'anthropic' with formation following classical-adjective patterns.

Initially it meant 'pertaining to humans' in a general sense; over time the term retained that sense and also gained a specialized meaning in philosophy and cosmology referring to conditions or arguments tied to human existence ('the anthropic principle').