'antipatriarchal' originates from Modern English, specifically the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'antí') and 'patriarchal' (from Late Latin 'patriarcha' via Greek 'patriarkhēs'), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'patriarkhēs' combined 'patēr' meaning 'father' and 'arkhē' meaning 'rule'.

'antipatriarchal' developed by compounding the productive prefix 'anti-' (from Greek) with the adjective 'patriarchal' (which itself came from Late Latin 'patriarcha' and Greek 'patriarkhēs'); 'patriarchal' entered English via Latin and Middle English, and the combined form 'antipatriarchal' emerged in modern English usage to express opposition to patriarchal systems.

Initially components referred to 'against' + 'the rule of fathers', and over time the compound came to mean broadly 'opposed to male-dominated or patriarchal social structures' in political and social contexts.