'anusim' originates from Hebrew, specifically the plural form of the Hebrew word 'anús' (עֲנוּסִים), where the root referred to someone who was 'forced' or 'compelled'.

'anusim' was used in medieval Hebrew texts to describe Jews compelled to abandon open practice of Judaism; the term was also present in Ladino/Spanish discussions of conversos and later entered English scholarly usage as 'anusim'.

Initially it meant 'those who were forced' in a general sense; over time it became a specific historical term referring to Jews forced to convert (notably in medieval Iberia).