'anti-humanistic' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') plus 'humanistic', derived from 'humanism' and ultimately from Latin 'humanus' meaning 'human'.

'humanism' comes from Renaissance Latin 'humanismus', from Latin 'humanus' ('human'); the adjective 'humanistic' developed from 'humanism', and the combining prefix 'anti-' (Greek) was added in modern English to form 'anti-humanistic'.

Initially used primarily to denote opposition to the organized intellectual movement 'humanism'; over time it has also come to describe attitudes, policies, or actions that are hostile to human welfare or dignity in a broader sense.