'anti-pragmatism' originates in modern English as a compound of the prefix 'anti-' and the noun 'pragmatism'. 'anti-' ultimately comes from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against', and 'pragmatism' was formed from Greek 'pragma' meaning 'deed, thing' with the English suffix '-ism'.

'pragmatism' was coined in English in the late 19th century (associated with Charles Sanders Peirce and later William James) from Greek 'pragma' via French 'pragmatisme'; the English compound 'anti-pragmatism' developed later by combining the prefix 'anti-' with 'pragmatism' to denote opposition.

Initially, 'pragmatism' referred to an emphasis on practical consequences in philosophical belief; 'anti-pragmatism' originally meant a direct opposition to that emphasis and has persisted, though it is also used more broadly (especially in political contexts) to criticize practical compromise.