'antialcoholism' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'alcohol' (from Arabic 'al-kuḥl') plus the suffix '-ism' (denoting a doctrine or movement).

'alcohol' entered English via Medieval Latin and Old French from Arabic 'al-kuḥl'; the combining prefix 'anti-' comes from Greek 'anti' and entered English through Latin/French compounds. The compound 'antialcoholism' developed in English in the 19th–20th centuries to name opposition to alcohol, particularly during temperance and prohibition movements.

Initially formed to mean 'opposition to alcohol or alcohol use,' the term's basic sense has remained stable and is used to denote a doctrine, movement, or stance against alcoholic beverages and their use.