'anti-patriarchal' is a compound formed from the prefix 'anti-' and 'patriarchal'. 'anti-' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'antí', where 'antí' meant 'against'. 'patriarchal' ultimately derives from Greek 'patriarchēs', where 'patēr' meant 'father' and 'arkhēs' meant 'ruler'.

'patriarchēs' passed into Late Latin/Medieval Latin (e.g. 'patriarcha') and Old French before entering Middle English as 'patriarch' and later forming the adjective 'patriarchal'. The modern English compound 'anti-patriarchal' arose by combining the productive prefix 'anti-' with 'patriarchal' to denote opposition to patriarchal systems.

Initially the roots referred literally to 'father' and 'ruler' (i.e. 'rule of the father'); over time the combined modern sense evolved to mean 'opposed to male-dominated social structures' or 'critical of patriarchy.'