'staphylococcal-inhibiting' originates from a Modern English compound of 'staphylococcal' and 'inhibiting'. 'Staphylococcal' derives from New Latin 'Staphylococcus' (from Greek 'staphyle' + 'kokkos'), where 'staphyle' meant 'bunch (of grapes)' and 'kokkos' meant 'berry'. 'Inhibiting' derives from Latin 'inhibēre', where the prefix 'in-' meant 'in/into' (or used as an intensifier/negative in compounds) and 'hibēre' (from habēre) meant 'to hold'.

'staphylococcal' developed from Greek elements ('staphyle' + 'kokkos') into New Latin 'Staphylococcus' used in scientific nomenclature, then into Modern English as the adjective 'staphylococcal'. 'Inhibiting' comes from Latin 'inhibēre', passed into Late Latin/Medieval Latin and then into Middle English/Modern English as 'inhibit' with the present participle 'inhibiting'.

Initially the Greek-based element referred to shape ('bunch of grapes') applied to the appearance of the bacteria; the Latin root 'inhibēre' originally meant 'to hold back' or 'restrain'. Over time the compound came to mean specifically 'holding back or suppressing Staphylococcus bacteria', which matches its current technical usage.