'antilepsis' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'antílēpsis' (ἀντίληψις), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'lêpsis' meant 'a taking' or 'seizure'.

'antilepsis' passed into Medieval/Latin usage (as 'antilepsis') and later entered English usage through scholarly and rhetorical texts, becoming the modern English 'antilepsis'.

Initially, it referred to a 'taking in return' or 'seizure', but over time it evolved into the rhetorical sense of an anticipatory reply or rebuttal.