'attractant' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'attrahere', where 'ad-' meant 'to' and 'trahere' meant 'to draw', with the agentive suffix '-ant' (from Latin '-ans') meaning 'performing or causing'.

'attractant' changed from Old French 'attracter' and Middle English 'attract' (from Latin 'attrahere') and was later formed into the modern English noun 'attractant' by adding the suffix '-ant'.

Initially related to the action 'to draw toward' (from 'attrahere'), it evolved into the noun meaning 'that which draws' or 'a substance that causes attraction'.