'anti-intellectual' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'antí', meaning 'against') + 'intellectual' (from Latin 'intellectus'/'intelligere', meaning 'to understand').

'intellectual' came into English via Latin 'intellectus' and Old French 'intellectuel' before becoming the modern English 'intellectual.' The combining prefix 'anti-' (from Greek antí) was attached in English to form 'anti-intellectual' to denote opposition to intellectuals or intellectualism.

Originally a literal compound meaning 'against intellectuals' or 'against intellectualism,' the term came to carry broader cultural and political connotations describing hostility to experts, critical thought, or academic approaches.