'bacteriotoxic' originates from a combination of the combining form 'bacterio-' (from Greek 'bakterion', meaning 'small rod' or 'staff') and the adjective-forming element '-toxic' (from Greek 'toxikon', meaning 'poisonous' via Latin/French).

'bacterio-' comes from New Latin 'bacterium', ultimately from Greek 'bakterion'; '-toxic' comes from Greek 'toxikon' (via Latin/French 'toxique'/'toxic'), and the modern compound formed in English by combining these elements into 'bacteriotoxic'.

Initially, the components referred separately to 'rod-shaped microorganism' and 'poison'; combined, they have come to mean 'poisonous to bacteria' or 'toxic to bacterial cells' in modern scientific usage.