'anti-environmentalism' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (meaning 'against') and 'environmentalism' (the doctrine or movement concerned with protecting the environment).

'anti-' originates from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against'; 'environmentalism' is derived from 'environment' (from French 'environ' meaning 'to surround') plus the adjective-forming suffix '-al' and the noun-forming suffix '-ism'; the compound 'anti-environmentalism' arose in modern English as debates over environmental policy developed in the 20th century.

Initially the components meant 'against' and 'concern with the environment' respectively; combined, the term has come to mean either ideological opposition to environmentalism or concrete policies/practices that oppose environmental protection.