'anti-conjuring' originates from a combination of the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti') and 'conjuring' (from Latin 'conjurare'), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'conjurare' meant 'to swear together' (and later took on senses related to calling up or binding by oath).

'conjurare' changed into Old French 'conjurer' and then into Middle English forms such as 'conjuren', eventually becoming the modern English verb 'conjure' and the noun/gerund 'conjuring'. The modern compound 'anti-conjuring' developed when the productive English prefix 'anti-' was attached to 'conjuring' to express opposition.

Initially, 'conjurare' primarily meant 'to swear together' or 'to take an oath,' but over time 'conjure/conjuring' acquired the sense of 'calling up spirits' or 'performing magic'; 'anti-conjuring' therefore came to mean opposition to the practice of conjuring (magic).