'antigonococcic' originates from Neo-Latin/modern medical formation, specifically from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek) combined with 'Gonococcus' (New Latin), and the adjective-forming suffix '-ic'; here 'anti-' meant 'against' and 'Gonococcus' refers to the gonococcus bacterium.

'antigonococcic' was formed in modern medical English by joining 'anti-' + 'Gonococcus' (New Latin, itself from Greek elements 'gônos' and 'kokkos') to make a term meaning 'against the gonococcus', with the adjectival suffix '-ic' producing the modern form.

Initially it meant 'against gonococci' (i.e., a substance acting on gonococcus bacteria), and this meaning has been retained in medical usage.