'antipragmatical' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-') meaning 'against' and from 'pragmatical', ultimately from Greek 'pragmatikos' (from 'pragma' meaning 'deed, affair').

'antipragmatical' formed in English by adding the prefix 'anti-' to 'pragmatical' (from Middle English/Latin/French sources of 'pragmatic'), tracing back to Greek 'pragma' and 'pragmatikos'.

Initially constructed to mean 'against matters of practice or affairs', it has come to be used to mean 'opposed to pragmatism; impractical or overly theoretical' in modern usage.