'antiscabetic' originates from the Greek prefix 'anti-' meaning 'against' combined with the adjective-forming element derived from Latin 'scabĭēs' (later Neo-Latin 'scabieticus'), where 'scabĭēs' meant 'itch' or 'mange'.

'antiscabetic' changed from Neo-Latin/medical formations such as 'anti-scabieticus' (formed in modern medical Latin usage) and entered English usage as the adjective 'antiscabetic' to describe agents acting against scabies.

Initially, the formation literally meant 'against scabies' and over time retained this specialized medical sense of 'preventing or treating scabies' in English medical usage.