'anticovenanter' originates from English, formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') + 'Covenanter', where 'Covenanter' derives from 'covenant' (a solemn agreement).

'anticovenanter' developed as a compound (often written 'anti-Covenanter') in English to denote opponents of the 17th-century Scottish 'Covenanters'. 'Covenanter' itself comes from Middle English 'covenant' (from Old French and ultimately Latin roots related to coming together and agreement), and the agent suffix '-er' produced 'Covenanter'.

Initially it specifically labeled opponents of the Scottish Covenanters in the 17th-century religious-political conflicts; the meaning has remained essentially the same and is now chiefly historical or descriptive.