'anti-reform' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (originating from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with the English noun 'reform' (from Latin 'reformare', 're-' meaning 'again' and 'formare' meaning 'to form').

'reform' came into English via Old French and Middle English from Latin 'reformare'; the prefix 'anti-' entered English from Greek via Latin and Old French, and the compound 'anti-reform' is a modern English formation using that prefix plus the established noun 'reform'.

The elements originally meant 'against' + 'to form/change again'; combined as 'anti-reform' the compound has come to mean 'against a proposed reform' or more broadly 'opposed to reform', a usage reflecting contemporary political and organizational contexts.