'rachitogenic' originates from New Latin/Neo‑Latin medical formation, ultimately from Greek 'rhakhis' (ῥαχίς) meaning 'spine' via the noun 'rachitis' (inflammation of the spine/bones), combined with the suffix '-genic' from Greek 'génēs'/'-genēs' meaning 'producing' or 'originating'.

'rachitogenic' changed from the New Latin/Neo‑Latin medical terms 'rachitis' and the adjective 'rachitic' (both derived from Greek 'rhakhitis'/'rhakhis') with the later productive English adjectival suffix '-genic' to form the modern English medical adjective 'rachitogenic'.

Initially related to the spine or spinal inflammation (via 'rachis'/'rachitis'), the sense shifted to medical usage denoting factors that produce rickets; thus it evolved to mean 'producing rickets'.