'rape-preventive' originates from English, composed of the elements 'rape' and 'preventive'. 'rape' ultimately originates from Latin, specifically the word 'rapere', where the root 'rap-' meant 'to seize'. 'preventive' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'praevenire', where 'prae-' meant 'before' and 'venire' meant 'to come'.

'rape' entered English via Old French from Latin 'rapere' and shifted from general senses of 'seize' toward the modern sense of sexual assault; 'preventive' came into English via Old French/Latin (Latin 'praevenire' → Old French forms → Middle English) and developed into the modern adjective 'preventive'. The compound 'rape-preventive' is a modern English formation combining these established words.

Initially, 'rape' meant 'to seize' and 'preventive' meant 'to come before' or 'to avert by prior action'; over time 'rape' narrowed to the meaning of sexual assault and 'preventive' came to mean 'intended to stop or deter', so together they now mean 'intended to prevent rape'.