'antirevolutionary' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') + 'revolutionary' (from 'revolution' + suffix '-ary').

'revolution' comes from Latin 'revolutio' (a rolling back), passed into Old French and Middle English as 'revolution', then formed into the adjective 'revolutionary'; the compound 'anti-' + 'revolutionary' produced the modern English 'antirevolutionary'.

Initially it literally meant 'against revolution' and over time has retained that core sense, coming to denote people, movements, or ideas opposed to revolutionary change.