'anthrax-mimicking' originates from English, specifically the compound of 'anthrax' and 'mimicking', where 'anthrax' ultimately comes from Greek 'anthrax' meaning 'coal' and 'mimicking' derives from 'mimic' which traces to Greek 'mimos' meaning 'imitator'.

'anthrax' came from Greek 'anthrax' into Latin as 'anthrax' and then into Modern English as 'anthrax'; 'mimic' came from Greek 'mimos' through Latin and French into English as 'mimic', with the participle form 'mimicking' developing from that root to form the modern compound 'anthrax-mimicking'.

Initially, 'anthrax' referred to 'coal' or carbuncle-like lesions and later to the disease caused by Bacillus anthracis; 'mimic' originally meant 'imitator'. Over time the compound came to mean 'resembling anthrax' or 'imitating the features of anthrax'.