'France-lover' originates from modern English as a compound of 'France' and 'lover'. 'France' originates from Medieval Latin 'Francia', where 'Francia' meant 'land of the Franks'. 'lover' originates from Old English 'lufian', where 'luf' meant 'love'.

'France-lover' is a transparent English compound formed by combining the place-name 'France' and the noun 'lover'. A related borrowing, 'Francophile' (from French/Greek elements franco- + -phile, ultimately Greek 'philos' meaning 'loving'), entered English earlier in the 19th century; 'France-lover' is a later, literal English formation.

Initially it simply denoted 'a person who loves France or French things'; that basic sense has largely remained the same, though the borrowed term 'Francophile' can sound more formal or culturally specific.