'athenor' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'al-tannūr' (often written as 'tannūr'), where 'tannūr' meant 'oven' or 'furnace'.

'al-tannūr' passed into Medieval Latin and Old French forms (recorded variously as 'athanor' or similar spellings) and eventually entered English as 'athenor' (also spelled 'athanor').

Initially it meant 'oven' or 'furnace' in a general sense, but over time it became specialized to refer to the alchemical or metallurgical furnace used by practitioners of alchemy and early metallurgy.