'anti-sensualism' originates from a combination of elements: the prefix 'anti-' from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against', and 'sensualism' ultimately from Latin 'sensus'/'sensualis' (via Old French 'sensuel'), where 'sensus' meant 'sense'.

'sensualism' developed from Latin 'sensus' → Late Latin 'sensualis' → Old French 'sensuel' → Middle/Modern English 'sensual' and then the abstract noun 'sensualism'; the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek via Latin) was productive in Modern English, producing the compound 'anti-sensualism' to denote opposition to that doctrine.

Initially used to indicate opposition specifically to the philosophical doctrine that privileges sense experience; over time the term has also been used more broadly to describe opposition to sensory indulgence or hedonistic lifestyles.