'species-discriminatory' originates from English, a compound of 'species' (from Latin 'species', where 'species' meant 'appearance, kind') and 'discriminatory' (from the verb 'discriminate', ultimately from Latin 'discriminare'/'discrimen', where the roots conveyed separation or distinction).

'species' entered English via Latin (and Old French) retaining the sense 'kind' or 'form', while 'discriminate' developed from Latin 'discriminare'/'discrimen' (meaning a dividing or distinction) into Middle and Modern English as 'to distinguish' and then into the adjective 'discriminatory' in modern usage; the compound 'species-discriminatory' is a modern English formation combining these elements.

Individually, 'species' originally meant 'appearance' or 'kind', and 'discriminate' originally meant 'to distinguish or separate'; over time 'discriminate' acquired the additional sense of 'treat unfairly based on a distinction', and the compound now specifically denotes unfair treatment based on species membership.