'anti-putrefactive' originates from Modern English, formed by the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against') combined with 'putrefactive' (from Latin elements related to 'putrefacere' meaning 'to make rotten').

'putrefactive' derives from Latin roots (see 'putrefacere' / 'putrēfacere'), passed into English as forms like 'putrefy' in Middle English and later 'putrefactive' in Modern English; 'anti-' was later attached in Modern English to create 'anti-putrefactive'.

The component 'putrefactive' originally related to causing rot ('to make rotten'), but with the prefix 'anti-' the combined term came to mean 'acting against or preventing putrefaction'.