'anti-missionary' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'missionary', which originates from Latin 'missionarius' (from 'missio' meaning 'sending').

'missionary' changed from Latin 'missionarius' to Old French 'missionaire' and Middle English 'missionarie', eventually becoming modern English 'missionary'. The prefix 'anti-' comes from Greek 'anti-' and was adopted as a productive prefix in English to form compounds like 'anti-missionary'.

Initially it referred straightforwardly to opposition 'against missionary activity'; over time the term has continued to denote opposition to missionary or proselytizing efforts, sometimes with political or cultural overtones.