'bardolater' originates from modern English, formed by combining 'bard' with a suffix modeled on 'idolater'; 'bard' ultimately comes from Irish and Scottish Gaelic 'bard' (from Proto-Celtic *bardos) where the root meant 'poet', and 'idolater' traces to Latin 'idolum' from Greek 'eidolon' meaning 'image' or 'idol'.

'bard' passed into English from Old Irish and Scottish Gaelic 'bard' (Medieval Gaelic), and the element '-olater' is modeled on earlier English 'idolater' (from Latin 'idolum' via Old French and Middle English); these elements were analogically combined in modern English to form 'bardolater'.

As a modern coinage, it initially meant 'a worshipper or excessive admirer of bards'; because it is formed by analogy, its meaning has remained narrowly descriptive of strong admiration rather than literal religious worship.