'anhydrotic' originates from Greek elements, specifically 'an-' meaning 'not, without' and 'hidrōs' meaning 'sweat' (via New Latin 'anhidrosis'); the spelling with 'y' is influenced by the combining form 'hydro-' ('water').

'Anhidrosis' entered scientific/medical English via New Latin in the 18th–19th centuries; the English adjective 'anhidrotic' developed from it. By analogy with 'hydro-', a variant spelling 'anhydrotic' arose and became an attested form in some medical and technical contexts.

Initially, the sense was strictly 'without sweat' (no sweating). It has extended to describe agents or actions that suppress sweating, while retaining the original medical sense.