'antidotical' originates from English, specifically formed from the word 'antidote' plus the suffix '-ical', where 'antidote' meant 'a substance given against poison' and the suffix '-ical' meant 'relating to'.

'antidotical' changed from earlier forms related to Medieval Latin 'antidotum' and Old French 'antidote', which entered Middle English as 'antidot(e)', and later English formed the adjective by adding the suffix '-ical' to create 'antidotical'.

Initially the root term referred to 'a remedy given against poison', but over time the adjective form evolved to mean 'having the quality of or acting as an antidote' rather than the noun 'remedy' itself.