'anti-cheat' is a modern compound formed from the prefix 'anti-' and the verb/noun 'cheat'. 'anti-' originates from Greek 'anti-', where 'anti-' meant 'against', and 'cheat' comes from Middle English 'cheten'/'chieten' meaning 'to deceive or trick'.

'cheat' developed from Middle English 'cheten' (influenced by Old French and other Germanic sources) into the modern English verb/noun 'cheat'. The prefix 'anti-' entered English via Latin and French from Greek. The compound 'anti-cheat' emerged in late 20th to early 21st century English as digital gaming and online assessment contexts required terminology for tools that oppose cheating.

Initially the components meant 'against' (anti-) and 'to deceive' (cheat). Over time the compound came to specifically mean systems or measures that detect or prevent cheating, especially in technical/online contexts.