'asthma-inducing' is a modern English compound made from 'asthma' and the present-participle form of 'induce' ('inducing'). 'asthma' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'ásthma', where the root meant 'breathlessness' or 'shortness of breath'. 'induce' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'inducere', where 'in-' meant 'into' and 'ducere' meant 'to lead'.

'asthma' passed from Greek 'ásthma' into Late Latin as 'asthma' and then into Old English as forms like 'æsthma' before stabilizing in modern English as 'asthma'. 'inducere' passed into Old French (e.g. 'induire') and Middle English before becoming the modern English verb 'induce'; the compound 'asthma-inducing' is a recent descriptive formation using the present participle to mean 'causing asthma'.

Initially, 'asthma' referred primarily to the symptom of breathlessness; 'induce' originally meant 'to lead into' or 'bring about.' Over time the compound came to mean specifically 'bringing about or provoking asthma (the condition)'.