'anti-smoking' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') combined with 'smoking', the gerund/participle of 'smoke' (from Old English roots related to 'smoke').

'anti-' entered English via Latin and French use of the element 'anti-' and has been widely used as a productive prefix; 'smoke' comes from Old English words (e.g. 'smoca'/'smocian') evolving through Middle English 'smoken' to modern English 'smoke', and the compound 'anti-smoking' emerged in the 20th century in public-health contexts.

Originally the prefix 'anti-' simply meant 'against' and 'smoking' referred to producing or inhaling smoke; combined, the compound came to specifically denote opposition to the act of smoking and, over time, the term broadened to refer to related policies, campaigns, and social attitudes.