'anti-book-worship' originates from a combination of the Greek-derived prefix 'anti-' and the English words 'book' and 'worship'; 'anti-' (Greek) meant 'against', 'book' originates from Old English 'bōc' meaning 'book', and 'worship' originates from Old English 'weorþscipe' meaning 'worthiness' or 'honor'.

'anti-' entered English via Latin/French from Greek 'anti'; 'book' comes from Old English 'bōc' (related to German 'Buch'); 'worship' developed from Old English 'weorþscipe' and later Middle English forms. These elements combined in modern English to form the compound 'anti-book-worship'.

Initially the components separately conveyed 'against' + 'book' + 'worthiness/honor'; over time the compound evolved to mean specifically 'opposition to the veneration of books', a modern ideological stance rather than a literal 'against the honor of books'.