'antismoking' originates from Modern English, combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti') meaning 'against' and 'smoking', the gerund/participle form of 'smoke'.

'smoke' comes from Old English 'smoca' (and Middle English 'smoke'), which formed the present-participle 'smoking'; the prefix 'anti-' (via Greek 'anti') was attached in Modern English usage to form the compound 'anti-smoking' or 'antismoking'.

Initially it literally meant 'against smoking'; over time the term has retained that core meaning but broadened to refer also to specific policies, public-health campaigns, and legal measures aimed at reducing smoking.