'anti-liberalist' originates from Greek and English: the Greek prefix 'anti-' (from Ancient Greek 'ἀντί') meaning 'against' combined with English 'liberalist' (from 'liberal' + suffix '-ist'), where 'liberal' ultimately comes from Latin 'liberalis' meaning 'of freedom' or 'befitting a free person'.

'anti-liberalist' was formed in modern English by adding the prefix 'anti-' to 'liberalist'. The element 'liberalist' derives from 'liberal' (from Old French/Latin 'liberalis', from Latin 'liber' 'free'), then 'liberalism' and the agentive '-ist' produced 'liberalist'; adding 'anti-' produced 'anti-liberalist'.

Initially, roots like Latin 'liber' and 'liberalis' indicated 'free' or 'generous'; over time 'liberal' developed political and social meanings (support for individual rights, civil liberties, free markets), and 'anti-liberalist' came to mean someone or something opposed to those modern political meanings.