'anticrotalic' originates from Greek and Latin, specifically the prefix 'anti-' from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against' and the Latin genus name 'Crotalus' (from Greek 'krotalon') meaning 'rattle'.

'anticrotalic' was formed in modern medical English by combining the Greek-derived prefix 'anti-' with the adjective-forming element from Latin 'Crotalus' (from Greek 'krotalon'), producing 'crotalic' and then 'anticrotalic'.

Initially formed to mean 'against Crotalus (rattlesnakes)', it has come to be used specifically for substances (notably serums) that neutralize rattlesnake venom.