'anti-pleuritic' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') plus 'pleuritic' (from Greek 'pleura' meaning 'rib' or 'side' with the suffix '-itic' from Greek '-itis' meaning 'inflammation').

'anti-' entered English via Latin and French from Greek 'anti-'. 'Pleuritic' comes from Greek 'pleura' > Late Latin/Medieval Latin 'pleura' > New Latin/medical formation 'pleuritic' in modern medical English; the compound 'anti-pleuritic' is a later, specialized medical formation in English.

Initially built to mean 'against inflammation of the pleura' in technical medical usage; it has retained that specialized meaning as a descriptive adjective for treatments or agents that prevent or relieve pleurisy.