'nicotine-free' is a compound formed from 'nicotine' and 'free'. 'nicotine' originates from French, specifically the word 'nicotine' (named after Jean Nicot), and 'free' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'freo', where 'freo' meant 'not in bondage' or 'exempt'.

'nicotine' entered English in the 19th century from French 'nicotine' (named after Jean Nicot). 'free' comes from Old English 'freo' through Middle English 'fre', and in modern English it combined with nouns to form compounds like 'sugar-free' and 'fat-free'; 'nicotine-free' developed by analogy with these '-free' compounds.

Initially, 'free' primarily meant 'not in bondage' or 'exempt'; over time it broadened and came to be used as a combining form meaning 'without' (as in 'alcohol-free', 'sugar-free'), so 'nicotine-free' now means 'without nicotine'.