'anticommercialism' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'commercialism' (from French/Latin roots related to trade).

'commercialism' comes via Middle French 'commercial' and Late Latin 'commercium' (trade); the modern English noun 'commercialism' developed to describe an emphasis on commerce, and the prefix 'anti-' was attached in modern English to form 'anticommercialism' meaning opposition to that emphasis.

Initially, components related to 'commerce' referred simply to trade ('commercium' = trade), but over time 'commercialism' came to mean an orientation toward profit and commercial values; 'anticommercialism' therefore evolved to mean opposition to that profit- or market-first orientation.