'appetite-stimulating' is a modern English compound formed from the noun 'appetite' and the present-participle adjective 'stimulating'. 'appetite' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'appetitus', where the prefix/ad- (appearing as ap-) meant 'toward' and 'petere' meant 'to seek or aim at'. 'stimulate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'stimulare', from 'stimulus' meaning 'goad' or 'prick'.

'appetite' came into English via Old French (apetit/apetite) from Latin 'appetitus' and was established in Middle English as 'appetite'. 'stimulate' comes from Late Latin 'stimulare' (from 'stimulus') and entered English in post-medieval/modern usage; the compound 'appetite-stimulating' is a descriptive Modern English formation combining these established elements.

Individually, 'appetite' originally meant 'a desire' (general seeking) and 'stimulate' meant 'to prick, urge, or incite'. Together as the compound 'appetite-stimulating' the meaning has specialized to 'causing an increase in the desire to eat'.