'growth-opposed' is a compound formed from English 'growth' and 'opposed'. 'growth' originates from Old English 'grōth' (from the verb 'growan') meaning 'a growing' or 'increase'; 'opposed' comes ultimately from Latin 'opponere' (ob- 'against' + ponere 'to place') via Old French and Middle English.

'growth' developed from Old English 'grōth' (related to the verb 'growan') into Middle and Modern English 'growth'; 'opposed' came into English from Old French/Anglo-Norman forms derived from Latin 'opponere', becoming Middle English 'opposen' and modern 'oppose/opposed'. The compound 'growth-opposed' is a modern formation combining these elements to mean 'set against growth'.

Individually, 'growth' originally meant 'the process of growing/increase' and 'opposed' meant 'placed against or set in opposition'; combined as 'growth-opposed' the meaning is now specifically 'against growth' or 'acting to prevent or resist growth'.