'ventro-anterior' originates from New Latin anatomical formation combining the prefix 'ventro-' (from Latin 'venter') meaning 'belly' and the adjective 'anterior' (from Latin 'ante') meaning 'before' or 'in front of'.

'anterior' entered English via Latin and Old French/Middle English forms (e.g. Latin 'ante', Late Latin 'anterior'), while 'ventro-' is a modern combining form derived from Latin 'venter' used in anatomical New Latin; the compound 'ventro-anterior' arose in technical anatomical usage by combining these elements.

Initially the roots separately referred to 'belly' and 'front'; over time the combined form came to denote a specific directional location meaning 'toward the belly and the front' in anatomical contexts.