'apprehensiveness' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'apprehendere' (past participle 'apprehensus'), where 'ad-' meant 'toward' and 'prehendere' meant 'to seize'. The adjective 'apprehensive' developed from Latin 'apprehensivus' and the noun was formed by adding the suffix '-ness'.

'apprehendere' (Latin) gave rise to medieval Latin forms and then to Late Latin/French-influenced forms; Middle English adopted 'apprehensive' from these sources, and English later formed 'apprehensiveness' by adding the noun-forming suffix '-ness' to the adjective.

Initially related to the literal idea of 'seizing' or 'grasping' (intellectually or physically), it evolved into meanings concerning 'perceiving' or 'understanding' and then to the emotional sense of 'fearful anticipation' that the modern word conveys.