'antireflective' originates from Modern English, formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') and the adjective 'reflective' (from Latin 'reflectere' meaning 'to bend back').

'reflective' developed from the Latin verb 'reflectere' through Late Latin and later Romance/Medieval forms into Middle English 'reflect' and the adjective 'reflective'; the prefix 'anti-' was combined with 'reflective' in Modern English to form 'antireflective'.

Initially, the components meant 'against' + 'to bend back (light)'; over time the combined form came to mean 'preventing or reducing reflection', especially referring to coatings or surface treatments.