'anti-commercialism' originates from Greek and Latin-derived elements: 'anti' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'commercial' (from Latin 'commercium' meaning 'trade', via Old French/Late Latin) and the suffix '-ism' (from Greek/Latin, indicating doctrine or system).

'commercial' comes into English via Old French/Late Latin from Latin 'commercium' ('com-' meaning 'together' + 'merx/merc-' meaning 'goods, trade'); '-ism' is a later English suffix taken from Greek/Latin use to form doctrines; 'anti-' is a Greek prefix meaning 'against' that entered English through Classical and ecclesiastical Latin and French. The modern compound 'anti-commercialism' was formed in English by combining these elements to denote a doctrine or stance against commercialization.

The original roots related to 'trade' and 'against' (i.e., 'opposed to trade/commercial influence'); over time the compound came to mean specifically 'opposition to the commercializing tendencies of culture and society' rather than merely opposition to trade itself.