'antiphonist' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'antiphōna' (ἀντίφωνα) / 'antiphōnos' (ἀντίφωνος), where 'anti-' meant 'against' or 'in return' and 'phōnē' meant 'voice'.

'antiphonist' developed from Late Latin 'antiphona' and Old French forms such as 'antiphone', passed into Middle English as 'antiphone'/'antiphon', and the agent suffix '-ist' was later added in Modern English to form 'antiphonist'.

Initially related to 'responsive singing' or an 'antiphon' (a call-and-response chant), over time the term came to denote specifically a person who sings or leads such responses, i.e., an 'antiphonist'.