'anvil' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'anfilt', where the elements likely referred to a flat iron or striking surface used for hammering.

'anvil' changed from the Old English word 'anfilt', passed into Middle English (forms like 'anvel' or 'anvel(e)') and eventually became the modern English word 'anvil'.

Initially, it meant 'a flat iron used for hammering or shaping metal'; over time this core sense has been retained and remains the primary meaning today.