anti-authoritarianism
|an-ti-au-tho-ri-ta-ri-an-ism|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.ti.ˌɔː.θɔr.əˈtɛr.i.əˌnɪ.zəm/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tɪˌɔː.θɒr.ɪˈtɛə.ri.ə.nɪ.zəm/
opposition to centralized authority
Etymology
'anti-authoritarianism' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'authoritarianism', which itself is built from 'authoritarian' derived from 'authority' + '-ism'.
'anti-authoritarianism' formed in modern English by adding the productive prefix 'anti-' to 'authoritarianism'. 'Authority' comes from Latin 'auctoritas', passed into Old French as 'autorité', then into Middle English as 'authority'; 'authoritarian' emerged later (19th–20th century) to describe favoring strict obedience to authority, and 'authoritarianism' named the system; combining 'anti-' with that gave the modern term.
Initially, the components simply meant 'against' + 'authority' (literal 'against authority'); over time the combined term evolved to name a coherent ideology, attitude, or set of practices opposing centralized, coercive authority.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a political doctrine or ideology that opposes authoritarian forms of government and centralized, coercive authority.
Her activism is rooted in anti-authoritarianism; she campaigns for decentralization and civil liberties.
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Noun 2
a disposition or attitude of resisting authority, hierarchy, or imposed rules in social or institutional contexts.
The school's culture fostered anti-authoritarianism among students who questioned strict rules.
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Noun 3
collective movements or practices that actively resist or work to dismantle hierarchical power structures.
The neighborhood's mutual aid groups are an expression of anti-authoritarianism in practice.
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Last updated: 2025/08/20 19:34