'anti-capitalism' originates from modern English, formed by the combining prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') and 'capitalism' (from French 'capitalisme', ultimately from Latin 'capitale'/'caput' meaning 'head' or 'wealth').

'capitalism' entered English in the early 19th century from French 'capitalisme' (from 'capital'), while the combining form 'anti-' has been used since the late 16th century; the compound 'anti-capitalism' arose in English usage by the late 19th to early 20th century to name political opposition to capitalist systems.

Initially it denoted simply 'opposition to the capitalist system'; over time the term has retained that core sense but broadened to encompass a range of critiques and movements (e.g., socialist, communist, anarchist, and reformist currents) opposing various aspects of capitalism.