'antimythic' originates from Greek-derived elements: the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'mythic' (ultimately from Greek 'mythos', meaning 'story' or 'word').

'antimythic' is a modern English formation combining the prefix 'anti-' and the adjective 'mythic' (which came into English via Latin and Old French from Greek 'mythos'), and it developed in scholarly and literary contexts to describe attitudes or aesthetics opposed to myth.

Initially it literally meant 'against myth' (i.e., opposing myths); over time the sense broadened to include specific aesthetic or critical strategies that demystify, subvert, or critique mythic narratives.