'anticentralism' originates from Modern English, specifically the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') combined with 'centralism' (formed from 'central' + the suffix '-ism').

'central' traces back to Latin 'centrum' via Old French and ultimately Greek 'kentron' meaning 'center'; 'centralism' developed in English to denote a system of central control, and 'anticentralism' was formed by adding the prefix 'anti-' to express opposition to that system.

Initially a straightforward coinage meaning 'against centralism' (i.e., opposed to centralized authority); over time it is used more broadly to describe policies, movements, or ideologies favoring decentralization and local autonomy.