'antioxygenation' originates from Modern English, formed by combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') with 'oxygenation' (from 'oxygen' + the nominalizing suffix '-ation').

'oxygen' was coined in the late 18th century from French 'oxygène' (itself from Greek 'oxys' meaning 'acid' or 'sharp'); 'oxygenation' developed as the noun denoting addition of oxygen; later scientific English formed 'antioxygenation' by prefixing 'anti-' to 'oxygenation' to denote opposition to that process.

Initially the components signified simply 'against oxygen' in a broad sense, but in modern usage 'antioxygenation' has come to mean specifically the inhibition or prevention of oxygenation processes.