'antitobacconal' originates from Modern English, formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') and 'tobacco' (from Spanish 'tabaco', ultimately from a Taíno word for the plant).

'tobacco' was adapted into English from Spanish 'tabaco'; the adjective-forming suffix '-al' produced a form like 'tobacconal' (tobacco + -al), and the prefix 'anti-' was then added to create 'antitobacconal'.

Initially formed to mean 'against tobacco' in a literal sense; the meaning has remained as 'opposed to tobacco or tobacco use'.