'anti-Marxism' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-', ἀντί) meaning 'against' combined with 'Marxism' (from the name 'Marx' + the suffix '-ism').

'Marxism' arose in the 19th century from the name 'Marx' (Karl Marx) plus the suffix '-ism' (via Latin/French from Greek '-ismos'), and the productive prefix 'anti-' was attached in English to denote opposition, producing compounds such as 'anti-Marxism' in political discourse from the late 19th to early 20th century.

Initially it meant 'opposition to the ideas of Karl Marx' and over time has remained broadly similar, coming to cover a range of attitudes and organized movements opposed to Marxist theory or practice.