'anti-usury' originates from modern English, specifically the compound of 'anti-' and 'usury', where 'anti-' ultimately comes from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against' and 'usury' comes via Old French 'usurie' from Latin 'usura' meaning 'use/interest'.

'anti-usury' was formed in modern English by combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek ἀντί 'anti') with the noun 'usury'. The word 'usury' evolved from Latin 'usura' to Old French 'usurie'/'usure' and into Middle English as 'usury', and later compounds with 'anti-' produced terms like 'anti-usury'.

Initially, 'usura' referred to 'use' and then specifically to 'the charging of interest'; historically 'usury' often meant charging any interest, but over time its sense narrowed to charging excessive or morally objectionable interest. 'Anti-usury' thus developed from general opposition to interest-charging in some contexts to opposition specifically to excessive or predatory interest in modern usage.