'anxiety-provoking' is a modern English compound formed from 'anxiety' and 'provoking'. 'anxiety' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'anxietas', where 'anxius' meant 'troubled, uneasy' (from the verb 'angere' meaning 'to choke or strangle'). 'provoking' comes from Latin 'provocare', where the prefix 'pro-' meant 'forth' and 'vocare' meant 'to call.'

'anxiety' changed from Latin 'anxietas' through Old French 'anxieté' into Middle English 'anxieté' and eventually became the modern English word 'anxiety'. 'provocare' transformed into Old French 'provoquer' and then Middle English 'provoke', giving rise to the present participle 'provoking' used in compounds.

Initially, 'anxiety' referred to a state of mental distress or unease and 'provoke' originally meant 'to call forth'. Over time, combining them produced 'anxiety-provoking', which specifically means 'causing anxiety' or 'giving rise to worry'.