'motility-enhancing' originates as a Modern English compound of 'motility' and the present-participle form of 'enhance'. 'motility' ultimately comes from Latin roots related to 'movere' meaning 'to move', while 'enhance' derives from Old French enhauncer (from elements meaning 'make high' or 'raise').

'motility' was formed in English from the adjective 'motile' (from Latin-related roots meaning 'movable') with the abstract noun suffix '-ity' in the 18th–19th centuries; 'enhance' entered English from Old French (Middle English enhauncen → modern enhance), and the participle 'enhancing' is the usual modern English gerund/participle form. The two parts were combined in modern technical usage to create the compound adjective 'motility-enhancing'.

Initially, the root for 'motility' referred broadly to 'the capacity to move' and 'enhance' originally meant 'raise' or 'make higher'; over time 'enhance' acquired the additional sense 'improve' or 'increase', so the compound now means 'increasing or improving capacity for movement'.