'agonist' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'agōnistēs,' where 'agōn' meant 'contest' or 'struggle.'

'agōnistēs' transformed into the Latin word 'agonista,' and eventually became the modern English word 'agonist.'

Initially, it meant 'a contestant in a struggle,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a substance that activates a receptor.'