'anticommunism' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') combined with 'communism' (from French 'communisme', ultimately from Latin 'communis' meaning 'common').

'anticommunism' developed in English as a compound of 'anti-' + 'communism' in the late 19th to early 20th century; the hyphenated form 'anti-communism' was common before the solid form 'anticommunism' became established, especially after the 1917 Russian Revolution and during the 20th century.

Initially it meant simple ideological opposition to communist theory; over time it broadened to refer also to organized political movements, state policies, social attitudes, and sometimes generalized hostility toward left-wing politics.