'anti-taxation' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' and the noun 'taxation'. 'anti-' originates from Greek 'ἀντί (anti)' meaning 'against', and 'taxation' comes from Latin 'taxatio' (from 'taxare') meaning 'a charging or assessing of a levy'.

'tax' derives from Latin 'taxare' ('to estimate, to charge'), passed into Old French as 'taxer' and Middle English as 'taxen'; 'taxation' developed by adding the suffix '-ation' to form the noun meaning 'the act or system of levying taxes'. The productive prefix 'anti-' (from Greek) has been attached in modern English to form compounds such as 'anti-taxation' to indicate opposition.

Originally 'taxation' referred to the act of assessing or levying a charge; over time it has come to mean the system or practice of imposing taxes. Combined with 'anti-', the compound's meaning shifted to denote opposition to that system or practice.