'anti-narcotic' is a compound formed from the prefix 'anti-' and the word 'narcotic'. 'Anti-' originates from Greek 'antí' via Latin/French and meant 'against', and 'narcotic' originates from Greek 'narkōtikós' (from 'narkē') via Latin and French, where the root 'nark-' meant 'numbness' or 'stupefaction'.

'narcotic' entered English via medieval Latin 'narcoticus' and French 'narcotique'; the combining prefix 'anti-' (from Greek) was attached in modern English to form compounds such as 'anti-narcotic' in the 19th–20th century as public policy and medical discourse developed.

Originally, 'narcotic' described substances causing numbness or stupefaction; over time it became restricted to drugs that induce sleep, analgesia, or stupor (e.g., opioids). 'Anti-narcotic' therefore evolved to mean 'against narcotics' or 'counteracting the effects or use of narcotics' in medical, legal, and policy contexts.