'francophobe' originates from French and Greek elements: the French combining form 'Franco-' (from 'France', ultimately from Latin 'Francia') and the Greek word 'phobos', where 'Franco-' referred to 'France' and 'phobos' meant 'fear'.

'francophobe' was formed in modern European languages by combining French/Latin 'Franco-' and the Greek-derived suffix '-phobe' (via Modern French and scholarly Latin) and was adopted into English in the 19th–20th century as a compound meaning 'one who fears or hates France'.

Initially it denoted a fear ('phobia') of France or French things, but over time it has come to be used more broadly for hostility or dislike toward France, French people, or French culture.