'antipopery' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with the word 'popery', which ultimately derives from 'pope' (from Latin 'papa', from Greek 'pappas' meaning 'father').

'antipopery' developed as a compound of 'anti-' + 'popery'; 'popery' itself evolved from Middle English forms such as 'poperye' (influenced by Old French and Latin 'papa'), and the term appears in polemical English from the early modern period, sometimes written as 'anti-popery'.

Initially, it meant 'opposition to the Pope or papal authority'; over time the basic meaning has remained, though the term is now largely archaic or used in historical contexts and often carries a polemical tone.