'antimeningococcal' originates from the Greek prefix 'anti-' meaning 'against' and the Neo-Latin/Modern Latin 'meningococcus' (from Greek 'meninx' meaning 'membrane' and Greek 'kokkos' meaning 'berry, seed'), with the adjectival suffix '-al' from Latin '-alis'.

'meningococcus' was coined in modern medical Latin in the late 19th century from Greek 'meninx' + 'kokkos'; the adjective 'meningococcal' developed to mean 'relating to meningococcus', and the prefix 'anti-' was added in modern English medical usage to form 'antimeningococcal'.

Initially it literally meant 'against meningococcus'; over time it has retained this specific medical meaning, referring to agents or measures (e.g., vaccines, sera, antibodies) that act to prevent or counter meningococcal infection.