'pre-anthesis' is formed from the prefix 'pre-' (from Latin 'prae', meaning 'before') and 'anthesis' (from Greek 'anthēsis', from 'anthos' meaning 'flower').

'anthesis' comes from Greek 'anthēsis' (flowering), was adopted into botanical Latin and English scientific usage; the compound 'pre-anthesis' is a modern scientific formation combining the prefix 'pre-' with 'anthesis' to denote the stage before flowering.

Initially 'anthesis' meant 'the period of flowering'; with the addition of the prefix 'pre-' the compound specifically came to mean 'the period or condition before flowering.'