'antipodean' originates from Greek via Latin/Modern English, specifically the word 'antipodes', where the prefix 'anti-' meant 'opposite' and Greek 'pous, pod-' meant 'foot'.

'antipodean' derived from the noun 'antipodes' (plural) used in Late Latin and Middle English to denote lands on the opposite side of the Earth; the adjective and noun forms 'antipodean' developed later in modern English to describe people or things of those regions.

Initially related to the literal idea of 'opposite feet' or regions opposite one another on the globe; over time it evolved to mean 'of or from the opposite side of the Earth' and, more specifically, 'of or from Australia/New Zealand' in colloquial use.