'antihypophora' originates from Greek/Latinized combining forms, specifically the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti') and the word 'hypophora' (from Greek 'hupophora'), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'hupophora' referred to a carrying/setting forth (later used in rhetoric for a question-and-answer device).

'hypophora' entered rhetorical usage from Greek 'hupophora' into Latin/Medieval rhetorical terminology and then into English; 'antihypophora' was formed in modern English as a compound of 'anti-' + 'hypophora' to denote a related rhetorical device.

Originally the Greek element 'hupophora' referred to 'carrying under' or 'setting forth'; over time in rhetorical contexts it came to mean posing a question and answering it, and 'antihypophora' has come to denote that rhetorical technique (sometimes used interchangeably with 'hypophora').