'lymphatic-reactive' is a compound of 'lymphatic' and 'reactive'. 'lymphatic' originates from Greek/Late Latin: from Greek 'lympha' via Late Latin 'lympha', where 'lympha' referred to 'clear spring water' and later the bodily fluid 'lymph'; 'reactive' originates from Latin components 're-' + a form of 'agere' (through Medieval/Modern Latin/Old French), where 're-' meant 'back/again' and the root related to 'to act'.

'lymphatic' moved from Greek 'lympha' → Latin 'lympha' → New Latin 'lymphaticus' and entered English as 'lymphatic'; 'reactive' developed from Latin roots into the verb 'react' in modern European languages and then into the adjective 'reactive' in English. The compound formation 'lymphatic-reactive' is a modern descriptive medical compound formed by combining these established elements.

Initially 'lymphpha' referred to clear water and later to the bodily fluid 'lymph'; 'reactive' originally carried the sense 'acting back' or 'responding.' Over time the combined term evolved into a medical descriptor meaning 'producing or showing a response in lymphatic tissue' in contemporary clinical usage.