'front-to-rear' originates from modern English as a compound formed from 'front' + 'to' + 'rear'; 'front' (from Old French 'front', ultimately from Latin 'frons') referred to the forehead or forepart, and 'rear' (from Middle English 'rere' / Old English elements) referred to the back or hind part.

'front' entered English via Old French 'front' from Latin 'frons' meaning 'forehead/forepart'; 'rear' evolved in Middle English as 'rere' meaning 'back' or 'hind'; the hyphenated compound 'front-to-rear' is a modern English descriptive formation combining these elements to specify direction or orientation.

Initially the components referred separately to the 'forepart' and the 'hind part'; over time the compound came to be used to describe movement or orientation 'from the front toward the rear' (i.e., a front-to-back relationship).