'antisalivary' originates from combining the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-', meaning 'against') with 'salivary' (from Latin 'saliva' + adjectival suffix '-ary'), forming a Modern English medical adjective meaning 'against saliva or salivation'.

'saliva' comes from Latin 'saliva' meaning 'spittle' or 'saliva'; 'salivary' developed as an English adjective from 'saliva' + '-ary'; the prefix 'anti-' (Greek) was attached in Modern English to create 'antisalivary' in medical contexts to denote opposition to salivation.

Initially formed to mean 'against saliva' or 'opposed to salivary secretion'; its usage has remained focused on describing agents or effects that reduce or inhibit saliva production.