'abacterial' originates from the prefix 'a-' meaning 'not' and the word 'bacterial' from 'bacterium', which is derived from the Greek word 'baktērion', meaning 'small staff'.

'Bakterion' transformed into the Latin word 'bacterium', and eventually became the modern English word 'bacterial'. The prefix 'a-' was added to form 'abacterial'.

Initially, it meant 'not related to bacteria', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.