'anticlinal' originates from New Latin/Greek via scientific Latin and French; ultimately from Greek elements 'anti-' + 'klinein', where 'anti-' meant 'against/opposite' and 'klinein' meant 'to lean'.

'anticlinal' changed from Greek element 'antiklinein' to Latinized New Latin 'anticlinalis', passed into French as 'anticlinal' and then into modern English as 'anticlinal'.

Initially the components suggested 'leaning/opposite slope', but over time the term came to refer specifically to an 'upward-arching fold' in rock layers and things relating to such a fold.