'ammonia-containing' originates from Modern English, specifically the combination of the noun 'ammonia' and the present participle 'containing', where 'ammonia' comes from New Latin 'ammonia' and 'contain' ultimately comes from Latin 'continēre' meaning 'to hold together'.

'ammonia' entered English via New Latin 'ammonia' (from Medieval Latin), itself named after 'sal ammoniac' associated with the Egyptian god 'Ammon'; 'contain' came into English from Old French 'contenir' and Latin 'continēre', and the compound adjective form developed in Modern English by joining the noun and participle (e.g. 'X-containing').

Initially the elements referred specifically to the chemical name 'ammonia' and the act 'to contain'; over time the compound came to be used adjectivally in technical and descriptive contexts to mean 'having ammonia as a component'.