Online Etymology Dictionary

ananym (n.): real name written backwards, 1867, from Greek ana "back" (see ana-) + onyme "name" (see name (n.)).
anapest (n.): also anapaest, "two short syllables followed by a long one," 1670s, from Latin anapestus, from Greek anapaistos "struck back, rebounding," verbal adjective from anapaiein "to strike back," from ana- "back" (see ana-) + paiein "to strike," from PIE *pau- "to cut, strike, stamp" (see pave). So called because it reverses the dactyl.
anapestic (adj.): 1690s, from Latin anapaesticus, from Greek anapaistikos, from anapaistos (see anapest).
anaphase (n.): 1887, coined in German (1884), from Greek ana- (see ana-) + phase (n.).
anaphora (n.): "repetition of a word or phrase in successive clauses," 1580s, from Latin, from Greek anaphora "reference," literally "a carrying back," from anapherein "to carry back, to bring up," from ana "back" (see ana-) + pherein "to bear" (see infer).
anaphoric (adj.): 1914, coined by Danish linguist Otto Jespersen (1860-1943) in the grammatical sense; see anaphora + -ic. In the sentence, "Here are some apples; take one," the one is anaphoric.
anaphylactic (adj.): 1905, with -ic + medical Latin noun anaphylaxis "exaggerated susceptibility," from French anaphylaxie (1902), from Greek ana- (see ana-) + phylaxis "watching, guarding" (compare prophylactic). Anaphylactic shock is attested by 1916.
anaphylaxis (n.): see anaphylactic.
anarch (n.): "leader of leaderlessness," 1660s, a deliciously paradoxical word used by Milton, Pope, Byron; see anarchy.
anarchic (adj.): 1755, "chaotic, without order or rule," from Greek anarkhos "without head or chief" (see anarchy) + -ic. An older word in this sense was anarchical (1590s). Differentiated from anarchistic (1845) which tends to refer to the political philosophy of anarchism. Anarchial is from 1710; Landor used anarchal (1824).
anarchism (n.): 1640s; see anarchy + -ism.
anarchist (n.): 1670s; see anarchy + -ist. The word got a boost into modernity from the French Revolution.
anarchistic (adj.): 1845; see anarchy + -istic. Also see anarchic. Related: Anarchistically.
anarcho-syndicalist: also anarchosyndicalist, 1911, from anarcho-, comb. form of anarchist (adj.) + syndicalist (see syndicalism). Earlier anarchist syndicalist (1907). Related: Anarcho-syndicalism.
anarchy (n.): 1530s, from French anarchie or directly from Medieval Latin anarchia, from Greek anarkhia "lack of a leader, the state of people without a government" (in Athens, used of the Year of Thirty Tyrants, 404 B.C., when there was no archon), noun of state from anarkhos "rulerless," from an- "without" (see an- (1)) + arkhos "leader" (see archon).
Either the State for ever, crushing individual and local life, taking over in all fields of human activity, bringing with it its wars and its domestic struggles for power, its palace revolutions which only replace one tyrant by another, and inevitably at the end of this development there is ... death! Or the destruction of States, and new life starting again in thousands of centers on the principle of the lively initiative of the individual and groups and that of free agreement. The choice lies with you! [Prince Peter Kropotkin (1842-1921)]
anasarca (n.): "subcutaneous dropsy," late 14c., medical Latin, from Greek ana "up, throughout" (see ana-) + sarx (genitive sarkos) "flesh" (see sarcasm). Abbreviation of Greek phrase hydrops ana sarka "dropsy throughout the flesh."
Anasazi: Name applied by their Navajo neighbors to modern Pueblo peoples of the U.S. southwest, and to various landscape features associated with them, from Navajo anaasazi "ancestors of the enemies." Said to first have been applied to the ancient Pueblo ruins of southwestern United States in the Mesa Verde region c. 1889 by rancher and trader Richard Wetherill, who began exploration of the sites in the area; established in archaeological terminology 1927.
Anastasia: fem. proper name, from fem. of Late Latin Anastasius, from Greek Anastasios, from anastasis "resurrection," literally "a standing or rising up," from ana "up; again" (see ana-) + histanai "to cause to stand, to stand up" from PIE root *stā- "to stand" (see stet).
anastomosis (n.): 1610s, medical or Modern Latin, from Greek anastomosis "outlet, opening," from anastomoein "to furnish with a mouth," from stoma "mouth" (see stoma). Related: Anastomotic.
anastrophe (n.): "inversion of usual word order," 1570s, from Greek anastrophe "a turning back, a turning upside down," from anastrephein "to turn up or back, to turn upside down," from ana "back" (see ana-) + strephein "to turn" (see strophe).
anathema (n.): 1520s, "an accursed thing," from Latin anathema "an excommunicated person; the curse of excommunication," from Greek anathema "a thing accursed," originally "a thing devoted," literally "a thing set up (to the gods)," from ana- "up" (see ana-) + tithenai "to put, place" (see theme).

Originally simply a votive offering, by the time it reached Latin the meaning had progressed through "thing devoted to evil," to "thing accursed or damned." Later applied to persons and the Divine Curse. Meaning "formal act or formula of consigning to damnation" is from 1610s.

Anathema maranatha, taken as an intensified form, is a misreading of the Syriac maran etha "the Lord hath come," which follows anathema in I Cor. xvi:22, but is not connected with it (see Maranatha).
anathematization (n.): 1590s, from Medieval Latin anathematizationem (nominative anathematizatio), noun of action from past participle stem of anathematizare (see anathematize). Earlier was anathemization (1540s).
anathematize (v.): "to pronounce an anathema against," 1560s, from French anathématiser (Old French anatemer), from Latin anathematizare, from Greek anathematizein "to devote (to evil)," from stem of anathema. Alternative anathemize (1670s) is less correct and more rare. Related: Anathematized; anathematizing.
Anatolia: ancient name of Asia Minor, from Medieval Latin Anatolia, from Greek anatole "the east," originally "sunrise" (which of course happens in the east), literally "a rising above (the horizon)," from anatellein "to rise," from ana "up" (see ana-) + tellein "to accomplish, perform."
anatomic (adj.): 1712, from Latin anatomicus, from Greek anatomikos "relating to anatomy," from anatomia (see anatomy). Anatomical is older.
anatomical (adj.): 1580s; see anatomy + -ical.
anatomically (adv.): 1640s, from anatomical + -ly (2). Anatomically correct, of dolls and meaning "with genitalia," is attested 1968, perhaps 1967, American English, in reference to Petit Frère, an imported French boy doll.
anatomize (v.): "to dissect, investigate by dissection," early 15c., from Medieval Latin anatomizare or French anatomiser (16c.), from Greek anatomia (see anatomy). Related: Anatomized; anatomizing.
anatomy (n.): late 14c., "study of the structure of living beings;" c. 1400, "anatomical structures," from Old French anatomie, from Late Latin anatomia, from Greek anatomia, from anatome "dissection," from ana- "up" (see ana-) + temnein "to cut" (see tome). "Dissection" (1540s), "mummy" (1580s), and "skeleton" (1590s) were primary senses of this word in Shakespeare's day; meaning "the science of the structure of organized bodies" predominated from 17c. Often mistakenly divided as an atomy or a natomy.
The scyence of the Nathomy is nedefull and necessarye to the Cyrurgyen [1541]
ancestor (n.): c. 1300, ancestre, antecessour, from Old French ancestre (12c., Modern French ancêtre), from Late Latin antecessor "predecessor," literally "foregoer," agent noun from past participle stem of Latin antecedere "to precede," from ante- "before" (see ante) + cedere "to go" (see cede). Current form from early 15c. Feminine form ancestress recorded from 1570s.
ancestral (adj.): 1520s, from Old French ancestrel (Anglo-French auncestrel), from ancestre (see ancestor). Related: Ancestrally.
ancestry (n.): early 14c., from Old French ancesserie "ancestry, ancestors, forefathers," from ancestre (see ancestor); spelling modified in English by influence of ancestor.
anchor (n.): Old English ancor, borrowed 9c. from Latin ancora "anchor," from or cognate with Greek ankyra "anchor, hook" (see ankle). A very early borrowing and said to be the only Latin nautical term used in the Germanic languages. The -ch- form emerged late 16c., a pedantic imitation of a corrupt spelling of the Latin word. The figurative sense of "that which gives stability or security" is from late 14c. Meaning "host or presenter of a TV or radio program" is from 1965, short for anchorman.
anchor (v.): c. 1200, from anchor (n.). Related: Anchored; anchoring.
anchorage (n.): mid-14c., "toll or charge for anchoring" (see anchor (v.) + -age. Meaning "act of dropping anchor, being at anchor" is from 1610s; that of "place suitable for anchoring" is from 1706. The Alaska city of Anchorage was founded 1914.
anchoress (n.): "female recluse, nun," late 14c.; see anchorite + -ess.
anchorite (n.): mid-15c., "hermit (especially those of the Eastern deserts), recluse, one who withdraws from the world for religious reasons," from Medieval Latin anchorita, from Greek anakhoretes, literally "one who has retired," agent noun from anakhorein "to retreat, go back, retire," from ana- "back" (see ana-) + khorein "withdraw, give place," from khoros "place, space, free space, room." Replaced Old English ancer, from Late Latin anchoreta.
anchorman (n.): "last man of a tug-of-war team," 1909, from anchor + man (n.). Later, "one who runs last in a relay race" (1934). Transferred sense "host or presenter of a TV or radio program" is from 1958.
anchovy (n.): 1590s, from Portuguese anchova, from Genoese or Corsican dialect, perhaps ultimately from either Latin apua "small fish" (from Greek aphye "small fry") [Gamillscheg, Diez], or from Basque anchu "dried fish," from anchuva "dry" [Klein, citing Mahn].
anchylosis (n.): "stiffness of joints," 1713, from Greek ankylos "crooked" (see angle (n.)) + -osis.
ancien regime (n.): 1794, from French ancien régime, literally "old rule," referring to the government and social order of France before the Revolution there. See ancient + regime.
ancient (adj.): mid-14c., auncyen, from Old French ancien "old, long-standing, ancient," from Vulgar Latin *anteanus, literally "from before," adjectivization of Latin ante "before, in front of, against" (from PIE *anti "against," locative singular of *ant- "front, forehead;" see ante). The parasitic -t dates from 15c. by influence of words in -ent.

Specifically, in history, "belonging to the period before the fall of the Western Roman Empire" (and contrasted with medieval and modern). In English law, "from before the Norman Conquest." Ancient of Days is from Dan. vii:9. Related: Anciently.
ancient (n.): "standard-bearer," 1550s, a corruption of ensign. Archaic, but preserved in Shakespeare's character Aunchient Pistoll in "Henry V."
ancillary (adj.): 1660s, "subservient, subordinate," from Latin ancillaris "relating to maidservants," from ancilla "handmaid," fem. diminutive of anculus "servant," literally "he who bustles about," from root of ambi- "about" (see ambi-) + PIE *kwol-o-, from root *kwel- (1) "move round, turn about, be much about" (see cycle (n.)).
and (conj.): Old English and, ond, originally meaning "thereupon, next," from Proto-Germanic *unda (source also of Old Saxon endi, Old Frisian anda, Middle Dutch ende, Old High German enti, German und, Old Norse enn), from PIE *en; cognate with Latin ante, Greek anti (see ante). Phrase and how as an exclamation of emphatic agreement dates from early 1900s.
Andalusia: former name of southern Spain, from Spanish, from Arabic al Andalus, name for the entire peninsula, from Late Latin *Vandalicia "the country of the Vandals," in reference to one of the Germanic tribes that overran the Western Empire 3c.-4c. and for a time settled in southern Spain. See vandal.
andante: musical direction, "moderately slow," 1742, from Italian andante, present participle of andare "to go," from Vulgar Latin ambitare (source of Spanish andar "to go"), from Latin ambitus, past participle of ambire "to go round, go about" (see ambient).
Andes: from Quechua andi "high crest."
andiron (n.): c. 1300, from Old French andier, which is of unknown origin, perhaps from Gaulish *andero- "a young bull" (source also of Welsh anner "heifer"), which would make sense if they once had bull's heads cast onto them. Altered by influence of Middle English iren (see iron (n.)).
Andorra: probably from indigenous (Navarrese) andurrial "shrub-covered land."