'anti-neologist' is a compound formed in modern English from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') and 'neologist' (one who coins or uses 'neologisms'). 'Neologism' itself comes from Greek elements 'neo-' meaning 'new' and 'logos' meaning 'word' or 'speech'.

'anti-' (Greek) + 'neologist' (derived from 'neologism', which entered English via Modern Latin/French from Greek 'neos' + 'logos') combined in English usage to create the descriptive compound 'anti-neologist'. The components ('neo-' and 'logos') date back to ancient Greek, while 'neologism' is attested in English from the 17th century and 'neologist' and the compound formation are modern coinages.

Initially, the elements meant 'against' (anti-) and 'new word' (neologism); over time the compound came to mean specifically 'a person opposed to neologisms' rather than a general opposition to novelty.