'antifeminist' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'feminist', which derives from French 'féministe' ultimately from Latin 'femina' meaning 'woman'.

'feminist' came into English via French 'féministe' and 'feminism' from 'féminisme'; the productive prefix 'anti-' from Greek was attached to form 'anti-feminist' and then the compound 'antifeminist' in English.

Initially it referred simply to being 'against feminism'; over time the term has retained that core meaning but has also taken on political and social connotations depending on context.