Antiecclesiastical

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Showing opposition to the authority or influence of the church
2. Characterized by resistance to ecclesiastical power or control
3. Expressing disagreement with or hostility toward church leadership and organization

Etymology: "Antiecclesiastical" is a plain compound: the prefix "anti-", meaning "against" or "opposed to", attached to "ecclesiastical", the adjective for anything relating to the church. The prefix comes from Greek "anti", and "ecclesiastical" descends from Late Latin "ecclesiasticus", itself from Greek "ekklēsiastikos", the adjective built on "ekklēsia", an assembly, later used for the Christian community and its buildings. The combination therefore describes something set against that institution. Because it is a transparent combination of two familiar elements, the word needs little explanation beyond its parts. Its meaning follows directly from them: "anti-" reverses the sense of "ecclesiastical", so the word names opposition to the church or to clerical authority rather than any particular doctrine.