'anticyclonic' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'antí', where 'anti-' meant 'against' or 'opposite') and 'cyclonic' from 'cyclone' (ultimately from Greek 'kyklon', where 'kykl-' meant 'wheel' or 'circle').

'cyclone' was borrowed into English in the 19th century (from French 'cyclone', from Greek 'kyklon'); 'anticyclone' was later formed in English by prefixing 'anti-' to 'cyclone', and 'anticyclonic' developed as the adjectival form.

Initially used to indicate opposition to cyclonic motion or relation to an anticyclone, the word's meaning has remained largely consistent and is used primarily in meteorology to describe high-pressure-related circulation and effects.