'anticlerical' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek anti- meaning 'against', via Latin/Old French) combined with 'clerical', which derives from Latin 'clericus' and Old French 'clerc', ultimately from Greek 'klerikos' meaning 'of the clergy'.

'anticlerical' formed in modern English (19th century) as 'anti-clerical' (often hyphenated) and later solidified into the single word 'anticlerical'. 'Clerical' itself evolved from Old French 'clerc' and Latin 'clericus', and the prefix 'anti-' was attached to express opposition.

Initially used to describe opposition to clerical privileges and political power, the word's core meaning—opposed to clerical influence—has remained largely consistent, though its usage expanded to broader secularist and anti-establishment contexts.