'anti-price-gouging' originates from Modern English, formed by combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against'), 'price' (from Old French 'pris', ultimately from Latin 'pretium' meaning 'price, value'), and 'gouging' (from the verb 'gouge').

'price' changed from Old French 'pris' (from Latin 'pretium') into Middle English 'price' and then modern English 'price'; 'gouge' entered English from Old French 'gouge' and developed the figurative sense 'to overcharge'; the compound 'price-gouging' arose in modern English to describe overcharging, and 'anti-' was later prefixed to form 'anti-price-gouging'.

Initially, the parts meant 'against' + 'price' + 'gouging' (literally opposing the act of gouging); over time the compound came to refer specifically to laws, policies, or descriptive labels aimed at preventing excessive price increases, especially in emergencies.