'crowd-control' originates from modern English, formed by compounding the noun 'crowd' and the noun/verb 'control' in the 20th century (especially in policing and public-safety contexts).

'crowd-control' developed from earlier phrases such as 'control of crowds' and 'crowd control' (two words); over the 20th century this usage was often hyphenated as 'crowd-control' when used attributively (e.g., 'crowd-control measures'). The element 'crowd' itself comes from late Middle English (word 'croude'/'crude' in some records), and 'control' comes via Old French 'contre-rolle' (from Medieval Latin 'contrarotulus').

Initially it referred specifically to the act of controlling a crowd; over time it broadened to include specific tools, techniques, equipment, and broader policies aimed at managing large groups of people.