'antiasthma' originates from Modern English, formed by combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') and the noun 'asthma' (from Greek 'ásthma').

'antiasthma' is a modern compound formed from 'anti-' + 'asthma'. The element 'asthma' entered English via Latin (Latin 'asthma') from Ancient Greek 'ásthma' (ἄσθμα), which referred to a panting or difficult breathing condition; the productive prefix 'anti-' comes from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against' and has been widely used in Modern English to form compounds.

Initially the parts meant 'against' + 'difficulty of breathing'; over time the compound came to denote 'a drug or measure acting against asthma' or an attribute 'used to treat/prevent asthma', which is its current medical usage.