'anti-reticular' originates from Modern English, formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against, opposed to') and the adjective 'reticular' (from Latin 'reticulum' meaning 'net').

'reticular' derived from Latin 'reticulum' (a diminutive of 'rete' meaning 'net'), passed into Medieval/Neo-Latin as 'reticularis' and then into modern English as 'reticular'. The prefix 'anti-' comes from Greek 'anti-' and has been used in English since Classical/Medieval borrowings to form oppositional compounds.

Initially the elements literally meant 'against a net' (i.e., opposed to a net or net-like thing); over time the compound is used more specifically to denote opposition to or inhibition of net-like structures or patterns, especially in scientific/medical contexts.