'antidemocracy' originates from modern English, formed by the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'democracy' (from Greek 'dēmokratia').

'democracy' comes from Greek 'dēmokratia' ('dēmos' meaning 'people' + 'kratos' meaning 'power' or 'rule'), passed into Latin and Old French and then Middle English to become 'democracy'; the prefix 'anti-' is from Greek 'anti-' and was adopted into English to form compounds such as 'antidemocracy'.

Initially and historically it has meant 'against democracy' or 'opposed to democratic governance'; this basic meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.