'archiheretic' originates from Greek, specifically the prefix 'archi-' and the word 'hairetikos', where 'archi-' meant 'chief/principal' and 'hairetikos' meant 'one who chooses (used of those who choose a sect or doctrine)'.

'archiheretic' changed from the Late Latin word 'haereticus' (from Greek 'hairetikos') combined with the Greek prefix 'archi-' (from 'arkhos' meaning 'leader/chief'), and eventually became the modern English compound 'archiheretic'.

Initially, the elements referred to 'a chief chooser' or 'principal dissenter' (one who chose a doctrine), but over time the compound came to mean 'a leading proponent of views judged heretical' in modern usage.