'antipatriarch' originates from Greek elements: the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti') meaning 'against' and 'patriarch' from Greek 'patriarchēs', where 'patria' referred to 'father/lineage' and 'archēs' meant 'ruler'.

'patriarchēs' passed into Late Latin as 'patriarcha', then into Middle English as 'patriark'/'patriarch'; in modern English 'patriarch' was combined with the Greek prefix 'anti-' to form 'antipatriarch' (a relatively recent compound formation).

Initially the components meant 'against' + 'father-ruler'; over time the compound has come to mean 'opposed to patriarchy or patriarchal systems' in contemporary social and political usage.