'anti-' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'anti' where it meant 'against'; 'itch' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'giccan' (also recorded as 'iccian'), where the root referred to the sensation or action of itching.

'itch' changed from Old English 'giccan'/'iccian' into Middle English forms such as 'ichen' and later developed into the modern English form 'itch'. The compound 'anti-itch' is a modern formation combining the prefix 'anti-' with the noun 'itch' to describe something that opposes itching.

Initially the elements simply meant 'against' + 'itch'; over time the combined form came to be used as a descriptive label (especially for products) meaning 'preventing or relieving itching.'