'anti-rheumatic' originates from Greek and New Latin, specifically the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti') meaning 'against' and 'rheumatic' from Greek 'rheumatismos' via Latin 'rheumatikus', where 'rheuma' meant 'that which flows'.

'anti-rheumatic' changed from New Latin 'antirheumaticus' and related French forms (e.g. 'antirhumatique') and eventually became the modern English word 'anti-rheumatic'.

Initially, it meant 'against flow' (in the humoral sense), but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'acting against rheumatism or relieving rheumatic symptoms'.