'meta-anisidine' originates from the combination of the Greek prefix 'meta-' (used in chemical nomenclature to denote the 1,3- substitution pattern, originally meaning 'after' or 'beyond') and 'anisidine'. 'Anisidine' itself is formed from 'anisole', which traces back to Latin 'anisum' meaning 'anise'.

'anisidine' changed from the word 'anisole' (a methyl ether of phenol historically named from 'anise') and through modern chemical naming conventions combined with the positional prefix 'meta-' to give the modern term 'meta-anisidine' referring specifically to the 3-methoxy-substituted aniline isomer.

Initially terms like 'anisole' and related names referred broadly to substances associated with anise (odor/derived from anise); over time the nomenclature became standardized so that 'meta-anisidine' specifically denotes the chemical 3-methoxyaniline.