'anthropolatrous' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'anthrōpos' (ἄνθρωπος) meaning 'human, man' and 'latreia' (λατρεία) meaning 'worship', with the English adjectival suffix '-ous' forming 'anthropo-' + 'latry' + '-ous'.

'anthropolatrous' developed from the noun 'anthropolatry' (formed in English from Greek 'anthrōpos' + 'latreia'), with the adjective ending '-ous' added to create a descriptive form; the sequence moved from Greek elements → English noun 'anthropolatry' → English adjective 'anthropolatrous'.

Initially the root elements meant 'human' and 'worship' in Greek; over time the compound came to mean 'relating to or characterized by the worship of humans', a meaning retained in the modern adjective 'anthropolatrous'.