'antianarchic' originates as a modern English formation from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'antí', meaning 'against') combined with 'anarchic' (from Greek 'anarkhos'), where 'an-' meant 'without' and 'arkhos' meant 'ruler'.

'antianarchic' was formed in Modern English by combining the productive prefix 'anti-' with the adjective 'anarchic' (itself from Latin/Greek via medieval/early modern usage: Greek 'anarkhos' → Late Latin/Medieval Latin 'anarchicus' → English 'anarchic').

Initially, the component elements conveyed 'against rule' (anti- + an- + arkhos); over time the compound came to be used specifically to mean 'opposed to anarchic disorder' or 'opposed to anarchism' in modern contexts.