anti

¹

[an-tahy, an-tee]

noun

plural

antis 

1. a person who is opposed to a particular practice, party, policy, action, etc.

anti-

²

1. a prefix meaning “against,” “opposite of,” “antiparticle of,” used in the formation of compound words (anticline ); used freely in combination with elements of any origin (antibody; antifreeze; antiknock; antilepton ).

anti

¹

/ ˈæntɪ /

adjective

1. opposed to a party, policy, attitude, etc

   he won't join because he is rather anti

noun

1. an opponent of a party, policy, etc

anti-

²

prefix

1. against; opposing

   anticlerical

   antisocial

2. opposite to

   anticlimax

   antimere

3. rival; false

   antipope

4. counteracting, inhibiting, or neutralizing

   antifreeze

   antihistamine

5. designating the antiparticle of the particle specified

   antineutron

anti–

1. A prefix whose basic meaning is “against.” It is used to form adjectives that mean “counteracting” (such as antiseptic, preventing infection). It is also used to form nouns referring to substances that counteract other substances (such as antihistamine, a substance counteracting histamine), and nouns meaning “something that displays opposite, reverse, or inverse characteristics of something else” (such as anticyclone, a storm that circulates in the opposite direction from a cyclone). Before a vowel it becomes ant–, as in antacid.

Sensitive Note

See homophobia.

Word History and Origins

Origin of anti¹

First recorded in 1780–90; by shortening of words prefixed with anti-

Origin of anti²

From Middle English, from Latin, from Greek, prefixal use of antí; akin to Sanskrit ánti “opposite,” Latin ante, Middle Dutch ende (giving rise to Dutch en “and”), English an- in answer. See ante-, and

Word History and Origins

Origin of anti¹

from Greek anti

Example Sentences

Among the anti immigration crowd there were signs reading "stop the boats'"and "enough is enough", while counter demonstrators chanted "refugees are welcome here".

From BBC

"He was anti everything to do with it," one local told the Sydney Morning Herald.

From BBC

It also says "We strongly reject the notion – levelled from different sides of this conflict – that we are pro or anti any position".

From BBC

Critics like Democratic Rep. Daniel Goldman described the remark as “blatant and vile anti‑Semitism.”

From Salon

In a way, “Oh, Mary!” is the anti-“Hamilton.”

From Salon

Related Words

• adverse 
• belligerent 
• bitter 
• contentious 
• contrary 
• hateful 
• inhospitable 
• inimical 
• nasty 
• opposed 
• unfavorable 
• unfriendly 
• unsympathetic