anti-cabinet
|an-ti-cab-i-net|
/ˌæntiˈkæbɪnɪt/
against the cabinet
Etymology
'anti-cabinet' originates from Modern English as a compound: the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') combined with 'cabinet' (from French 'cabinet', originally meaning a small room and later a council of advisors).
'anti-' entered English via Latin and French use of the Greek element 'anti-' and was productive as a prefix in Modern English; 'cabinet' came into English from French 'cabinet' (a small private room or council), and the compound 'anti-cabinet' was formed in Modern English to denote opposition to a cabinet or its policies.
The elements originally meant 'against' (anti-) and 'small room/council' (cabinet); when combined in Modern English, they came to mean 'opposed to the cabinet' or 'oppositional toward the governing ministers', a political usage that reflects straightforward semantic composition rather than a major shift in meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a group, faction, or informal body that opposes a cabinet (the ministers of a government) or its policies; an opposition or anti-government grouping.
The protesters formed an anti-cabinet coalition to challenge the proposed reforms.
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Adjective 1
opposed to the cabinet or its policies; expressing or demonstrating opposition to the governing ministers.
The editorial took an anti-cabinet stance, criticizing the ministers' handling of the crisis.
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Last updated: 2025/11/05 22:13