'enzyme-inhibitory' is a compound formed from 'enzyme' and 'inhibitory'. 'Enzyme' originates from New Latin/Greek (Greek  'enzymon'/'zymefb8b1e9'), where the element 'zyme9' (or 'zym-') meant 'leaven' or 'ferment'. 'Inhibitory' comes from Latin 'inhibeare' (via Late Latin/Old French into English), where 'in-' meant 'in' or 'on' and 'habe9re'/'hibe9re' gave the sense 'to hold' or 'restrain'.

'enzyme' entered scientific English in the 19th century from New Latin/Greek 'enzymon' (via German 'Enzym'), while 'inhibitory' is adjectival from Latin 'inhibeare' -> Late Latin -> Anglo-French/Medieval Latin forms and into Modern English as 'inhibit' + '-ory'. The compound 'enzyme-inhibitory' is a modern, descriptive scientific formation joining these elements into an English compound adjective.

Individually, 'enzyme' originally referred to a ferment or leavening agent and 'inhibitory' to the quality of 'holding back' or restraining; together in modern scientific usage they specifically denote the property of 'holding back' or reducing enzyme activity.