'anticonfederationism' originates from Modern English, specifically a combination of the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'antí', meaning 'against'), the word 'confederation' (from Late Latin 'confoedĕrātiō', built from 'con-' + Latin 'foedus' meaning 'league, treaty'), and the suffix '-ism' (from Greek '-ismos' via Latin/Old French) indicating a doctrine or system.

'confederation' changed from Late Latin 'confoedĕrātiō' into Old French 'confederation' and Middle English forms such as 'confederacioun', eventually becoming the Modern English 'confederation'; the prefix 'anti-' entered English from Greek through Latin/French, and the suffix '-ism' was borrowed via Latin/Old French from Greek.

Initially the component elements meant 'against' (anti-), 'league/treaty' (foedus → confederation), and 'doctrine/system' (-ism); combined, they originally signified 'a doctrine against a league', and the compound now denotes the political position or ideology opposing formation of a confederation.