'anti-burgher' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') combined with 'burgher', which ultimately comes from Middle Dutch 'borgher' (and Middle English/Scots forms) meaning 'town citizen' or 'burgess'.

'burgher' changed from Middle Dutch 'borgher' and Middle English/Scots forms such as 'burgere'/'burgher' and entered English/Scots meaning 'a citizen' or 'burgess'; in the 18th century the productive prefix 'anti-' was attached to form the political label 'anti-burgher'.

Initially, 'burgher' meant 'town citizen' or 'burgess'; over time, in the specific historical context of the Scottish Secession Church, 'Burgher' also came to denote a faction that accepted the burgess oath, so 'anti-burgher' evolved to mean 'opposed to that faction or oath'.