'anticipate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'anticipare', where 'ante-' meant 'before' and 'capere' (via the stem 'cip-') meant 'to take'.

'anticipate' came into English via Late Latin/Old French (from Latin 'anticipare') and Middle English; the adjective 'anticipatory' and the adverb 'anticipatorily' were formed later in English by adding the adjectival and adverbial suffixes.

Initially it meant 'to take or act before' (literally 'take before'), and over time it evolved to include the senses 'expect' or 'act in expectation of', which is reflected in modern usage.