late 14c., from Anglo-French auntiler, Old French antoillier (14c., Modern French andouiller) "antler," perhaps from Gallo-Roman cornu *antoculare "horn in front of the eyes," from Latin ante "before" (see ante) + ocularis "of the eyes" (see ocular). This etymology is doubted by some because no similar word exists in any other Romance language, but compare German Augensprossen "antlers," literally "eye-sprouts," for a similar formation.