'antihumanist' originates from Greek and Latin elements: the Greek prefix 'anti' (from Greek 'anti') meaning 'against' combined with 'humanist', ultimately from Latin 'humanus' (via Renaissance/modern usage) where 'humanus' meant 'human' or 'pertaining to humans'.

'antihumanist' formed by combining the prefix 'anti-' with the noun/adjective 'humanist' (from 'humanism' < Latin 'humanus' via modern French/English usage); the compound emerged in modern English to denote opposition to humanism and became established in philosophical and critical contexts as 'antihumanist'.

Initially, the components meant 'against' + 'human' (i.e., 'against humanism'); over time the compound has retained this basic sense but has been used in specialized philosophical, literary, and political contexts to label specific critiques or positions.