'anti-ricin' originates from Greek and Latin elements: the prefix 'anti-' (Greek) meaning 'against' and 'ricin' from Latin 'ricinus' (originally meaning 'castor' or 'castor bean'), where 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'ricinus' referred to the castor plant that yields the toxin.

'anti-ricin' was formed in modern scientific English by combining the Greek-derived prefix 'anti-' with the noun 'ricin' (from Latin 'ricinus'), yielding a compound used in biomedical contexts to denote substances acting against ricin.

Initially the components literally meant 'against ricin'; over time the compound has taken on a specialized biomedical meaning referring specifically to neutralizing agents (antibodies, antitoxins, vaccines) or properties that counteract ricin.