'anti-masonic' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') combined with 'masonic', derived from 'Mason' (a stonemason and, by extension, a member of the Freemasons).

'anti-masonic' appeared in the early 19th century (notably in the name 'Anti-Masonic Party' in the 1820s U.S.) often written 'antimasonic' or 'Anti-Masonic' and later stabilized as the hyphenated form 'anti-masonic'.

Initially it specifically described opposition to Freemasonry as a political movement or campaign; over time it has been used more generally to describe hostility to Freemasonry or Masonic influence.