'antiarthritic' originates from Greek elements, specifically the prefix 'anti-' from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against' and the root 'arthron' meaning 'joint', with the suffix '-itic' from Greek '-itikos' meaning 'pertaining to'.

'antiarthritic' was formed in modern medical/English usage by combining 'anti-' + 'arthritic' (itself from Greek root via Latin/medical formation) and entered English as a medical adjective/noun in the late 19th to early 20th century.

Initially it meant 'acting against arthritis' and over time has retained that core meaning, now used both for agents (drugs) and descriptive qualities (properties that counter arthritis).