'anticlergy' originates from English, specifically formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') and the noun 'clergy' (from Old French 'clergie', ultimately from Latin 'clericus' and Greek 'klērikos', meaning 'of the clergy').

'clergy' changed from Old French 'clergie' and Latin 'clericus' (from Greek 'klērikos') and later combined with the productive English prefix 'anti-' to form the modern English compound 'anticlergy'.

Initially the elements meant 'against' + 'clergy', and over time the compound has retained the core meaning of 'opposition to the clergy'.