'anti-commercialist' originates from modern English, specifically the combination of the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against'), the adjective 'commercial' (from Latin 'commercialis', ultimately from 'commercium' meaning 'trade'), and the suffix '-ist' (from Greek/Latin meaning 'person who practices or is concerned with').

'commercial' came into English via Old French (cf. French 'commercial') from Latin 'commercium' ('commerce, trade'); the productive prefix 'anti-' (Greek) and the agentive suffix '-ist' (Greek/Latin-derived) were later combined in modern English to form 'anti-commercialist'.

Initially elements referred simply to 'against' + 'trade'/'commerce' + 'person' (i.e., someone opposed to commerce); over time the compound 'anti-commercialist' has come to denote opposition more broadly to commercialism and commercial values in culture and society.