'antichorus' originates from Greek elements: 'anti-' meaning 'against, opposite' and 'choros' meaning 'dance, chorus'.

'antichorus' is a modern English formation combining the prefix 'anti-' with the noun 'chorus' (from Greek 'choros'), modeled on classical and musical terms referring to opposing or responsive ensembles.

Initially, the components signified 'opposite' + 'chorus'; the compound has retained that core sense, denoting a chorus that opposes or responds to another chorus.