'anting-anting' originates from Tagalog, specifically the word 'anting-anting', which is a reduplication of 'anting' (the precise origin of 'anting' is uncertain).

'anting-anting' was used in Tagalog and was later encountered and transcribed by Spanish speakers during the colonial period; from Spanish and colonial contexts it entered English usage as a loanword referring to Filipino charms.

Initially it meant 'amulet' or 'protective charm' in Tagalog, and this core meaning has largely been retained in modern usage in other languages.