'anti-racing' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') combined with 'racing', the gerund/participial form of 'race'.

'race' entered English via Middle English from Old Norse 'ras' meaning 'rush' or 'running', later becoming modern English 'race'; the prefix 'anti-' comes from Greek ἀντί ('anti-') meaning 'against', and modern compounds like 'anti-racing' are formed by combining the prefix with the -ing form.

The compound literally meant 'against racing' from its formation; its primary sense remains opposition to the activity of racing, though specific connotations (e.g., animal-welfare vs. public-safety concerns) vary by context.