'anti-littering' originates from modern English, specifically formed by the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti') meaning 'against', combined with the noun 'litter' (from Old French 'litiere', ultimately Latin 'lectus') meaning originally 'bed covering' and later 'scattered rubbish', plus the gerundive/nominal suffix '-ing' that forms 'littering' (the act of litter).

'litter' changed from Middle English 'litter' (Old French 'litiere') meaning 'bedding' to a sense of 'things scattered about' and 'rubbish'; combining the productive prefix 'anti-' with the gerund 'littering' in modern English produced the compound 'anti-littering', used particularly from the 20th century onward in public-health and sanitation contexts.

Initially, 'litter' referred to bedding or material used for a bed, but over time it evolved to mean 'rubbish scattered about'; 'anti-' has consistently meant 'against', so 'anti-littering' came to mean 'against the scattering or improper disposal of waste'.