'oxidant' originates from French, specifically the word 'oxydant', where 'oxy-' meant 'sharp' or 'acid' and '-ant' is a suffix forming nouns.

'oxydant' transformed into the English word 'oxidant' in the 19th century, maintaining its meaning related to oxidation.

Initially, it meant 'a substance that causes oxidation', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.