'antifibrinolysin' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek anti, meaning 'against') combined with 'fibrinolysin' (from 'fibrin' + '-lysin'/'-lysis', referring to dissolution).

'antifibrinolysin' was formed in modern medical English by adding the prefix 'anti-' to 'fibrinolysin'; 'fibrin' comes from Latin 'fibra' meaning 'fiber', and '-lysis' comes from Greek 'lysis' meaning 'loosening' or 'dissolution'.

Initially the components referred specifically to 'against fibrin dissolution'; over time the compound term has been used generally for agents that inhibit fibrinolysis (antifibrinolytic drugs).