'anti-jamming' originates from the Greek prefix 'anti' (from Greek 'anti') meaning 'against', combined with English 'jamming' (from 'jam' + '-ing'), where 'jam' originally meant 'to press or block'.

'jamming' developed from the English verb 'jam' (17th century, meaning to press or block) and in the 20th century was applied to deliberate interference with radio or communications; the modern compound 'anti-jamming' formed when the prefix 'anti-' was attached to 'jamming' in technical and military contexts.

Originally 'jam' meant to press or squeeze; the meaning extended to 'blocking' or 'congesting' signals, and 'anti-jamming' came to mean measures taken 'against jamming' (i.e., against signal interference).