'anti-Germanism' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'antí', meaning 'against') + 'Germanism' (from 'German' with the suffix '-ism').

'Germanism' derives from 'German' (Old English/Medieval Latin references to people of Germania) combined with the suffix '-ism' (from Greek '-ismos' via Latin), and the modern compound 'anti-Germanism' developed by prefixing 'anti-' to express opposition.

Originally 'Germanism' referred simply to things characteristic of Germany or German speech; with the addition of 'anti-' the compound came to mean opposition to or hostility toward Germans or German influence.