'anti-inflammatory' originates from the combining prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') and the adjective 'inflammatory', which ultimately derives from Latin 'inflammare' where 'in-' meant 'in' and 'flammare' meant 'to set on fire'.

'inflammare' in Latin passed into Old French as 'enflammer' and into Middle English as 'inflame' and 'inflammatory'; the modern compound 'anti-inflammatory' was formed in Modern English by prefixing 'anti-' to 'inflammatory'.

Initially, 'inflammatory' referred to 'causing or related to inflammation (setting on fire)'; with the prefix 'anti-' the compound came to mean 'against or reducing inflammation', the current usage.