'antigalactagogue' originates as a modern English medical formation from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') + 'galactagogue' (from New Latin/medical usage), where 'galact-' meant 'milk' and '-agogue' meant 'leading' or 'promoting'.

'galactagogue' comes from Greek elements 'galakt-' (milk) + 'agōgos' (leading), passed into New Latin/medical Latin as 'galactagogus' and then into English as 'galactagogue'; the prefix 'anti-' was later attached in English to form 'antigalactagogue' to indicate opposition to that action.

Initially the components referred simply to 'promoting milk' ('galactagogue') and 'against' ('anti-'); combined, the modern term specifically denotes 'an agent that suppresses lactation' rather than merely 'opposed to promotion'.