'anti-authority' originates from Modern English, formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-', meaning 'against') and the noun 'authority' (from Latin 'auctoritas'), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'auctor' meant 'originator' or 'author'.

'authority' changed from Latin 'auctoritas' into Old French 'autorité' and Middle English 'autorite', eventually becoming the modern English word 'authority'. The compound 'anti-authority' is a Modern English formation combining 'anti-' and 'authority' and became more common in the 20th century in contexts describing social attitudes and movements.

Initially the parts meant 'against' + 'authority' in a literal sense; over time the compound has retained that basic meaning but broadened to describe general attitudes, subcultures, and political or social movements opposed to established authority.