'ketosis-inhibiting' is a compound formed from 'ketosis' (New Latin) and the participle form of 'inhibit' (Latin 'inhibēre'), where 'keto-' traces to German 'Keton' (from which 'ketone' was coined) and the suffix '-osis' is Greek meaning 'a condition' while 'in-' means 'in/into' and 'habēre' (via Latin) meant 'to hold'.

'ketosis' was coined in modern medical New Latin from 'keto-' (from chemical term 'Keton'/'ketone', 19th century) + Greek suffix '-osis'; 'inhibit' comes from Latin 'inhibēre' ('in-' + 'habēre') and entered English via Late Latin/medical usage, and the compound 'ketosis-inhibiting' arose in 20th-century clinical/scientific contexts by combining these elements.

Initially, 'ketosis' referred specifically to the condition characterized by increased ketone bodies; over time compounds like 'ketosis-inhibiting' developed to describe agents or actions that prevent that condition. 'Inhibit' originally meant 'to hold back' and has retained the core sense of restraint or suppression.