'anti-Arabism' originates from modern English, formed by the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti' meaning 'against'), the noun 'Arab' (from Arabic 'al-ʿArab' referring to 'the Arabs'), and the suffix '-ism' (from Greek '-ismos' via Latin and Old French, meaning 'doctrine, practice, or system').

'anti-' has been used in English since the 17th century to form compounds meaning 'against'; 'Arab' entered English via Medieval Latin and Old French from Arabic 'al-ʿArab'; the suffix '-ism' comes from Greek '-ismos' and was adopted into English through Latin and French to form nouns denoting ideologies or practices, so these elements combined in modern English to form 'anti-Arabism'.

Initially, compounds with 'anti-' simply indicated opposition to an idea or group; over time, formations like 'anti-Arabism' have come to denote not just opposition but systematic prejudice, hostility, or discriminatory practices directed at Arabs.