'antifreezing' originates from Modern English, formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') + 'freezing' (from the verb 'freeze').

'antifreezing' developed by combining 'anti-' + the gerund/participle form of 'freeze'. 'Freeze' comes from Old English 'frēosan' which became Middle English 'fresen' and then modern English 'freeze', and the modern compound 'antifreeze' produced related forms such as 'antifreezing'.

Initially formed simply to mean 'against freezing', it has come to be used to describe materials, treatments, or properties that actively prevent freezing and the process of preventing freezing.