'anti-recruitment' is a compound formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') and the noun 'recruitment' (from 'recruit' + the noun-forming suffix '-ment').

The verb 'recruit' entered English in the 16th century from Middle French (e.g., 'recruter' or 'recreuter'), originally carrying senses like 'to grow again' or 'to refresh/restore strength' and later 'to enlist new soldiers.' The suffix '-ment' comes from French/Latin noun formations. The modern compound 'anti-recruitment' is a straightforward combination using the productive English prefix 'anti-'.

Initially, 'anti-' simply indicated opposition and 'recruitment' meant the act of enlisting or hiring; combined, the meaning has remained direct: opposition to the act or practice of recruitment, though the compound's scope has broadened from primarily military contexts to include corporate, educational, and other recruiting settings.