'prostate-inhibiting' is a Modern English compound formed from 'prostate' + the present participle 'inhibiting'. 'prostate' originates from Greek 'prostátēs', where 'pro-' meant 'before' and the root (from histanai) meant 'to stand'; 'inhibit' originates from Latin 'inhibēre', where 'in-' meant 'in/on' and 'habēre' meant 'to hold'.

'prostate' passed from Greek prostátēs into Late Latin/Medieval Latin as 'prostata' (referring to the gland) and entered English as 'prostate'; 'inhibit' comes from Latin 'inhibēre' and entered English via Late/Medieval Latin (and Old French influence) as 'inhibit'. The hyphenated compound 'prostate-inhibiting' is a modern English formation used in medical contexts.

Originally 'prostátēs' meant 'one who stands before' (Greek) and later became the anatomical term 'prostate' for the gland; 'inhibēre' originally meant 'to hold in or back' and evolved to mean 'to restrain or suppress'. Combined, 'prostate-inhibiting' now means 'suppressing or restraining the prostate's activity or growth'.