'antimechanist' originates from Modern English, specifically a compound of the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') and 'mechanist' (one who adheres to mechanism), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'mechanist' comes from 'mechanism' relating to 'machine' or 'device'.

'mechanist' stems from 'mechanism' (from French/Latin paths) ultimately from Greek 'mekhane'/'mēkhanē' meaning 'device, machine'; 'antimechanist' is a modern English formation that combines 'anti-' with 'mechanist' to denote opposition to mechanistic views.

Initially the parts meant 'against' + 'one who favors mechanism', so the compound originally meant 'one opposed to mechanists'; over time its use has remained consistent, referring broadly to opponents of mechanistic explanations in science, philosophy, or social thought.