'anti-patriot' originates from modern English by combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') with 'patriot' (ultimately from Greek 'patriōtēs' via Latin/French meaning 'of one's fatherland' or 'fellow-countryman').

'patriot' entered English via Middle French 'patriote' and Latin 'patriota' from Greek 'patriōtēs' ('fellow-countryman'); the productive prefix 'anti-' comes from Greek 'anti-' and was used in English from the modern period to form compounds meaning 'against'. Together they formed 'anti-patriot' in modern English usage.

The components originally carried the literal senses 'against' + 'fellow-countryman' or 'one's country'; over time the compound has come to mean generally 'opposed to patriotism or one's country' (often as a critical or pejorative label).