'anthracene-free' is a compound of the chemical name 'anthracene' and the adjective 'free'. 'Anthracene' originates ultimately from Greek, specifically the word 'anthrax' meaning 'coal', adapted into chemical nomenclature in the 19th century as 'anthracene' (the '-ene' suffix indicating an unsaturated hydrocarbon). 'Free' originates from Old English 'frēo' meaning 'not in bondage, exempt'.

'anthracene' was coined in modern chemical vocabulary derived from Greek 'anthrax' (coal) and later adopted into English chemical names as 'anthracene'; 'free' evolved from Old English 'frēo' through Middle English 'free' to modern 'free'. The compound 'anthracene-free' formed by productive compounding of a chemical name plus 'free' to indicate absence.

Individually, 'anthracene' referred to a coal-derived hydrocarbon and 'free' meant 'not bound or subject to'; combined, the compound's meaning became the specific modern sense 'not containing anthracene'.