'pro-Western' is a compound of the prefix 'pro-' (from Latin 'pro', meaning 'for' or 'in favor of') and 'Western' (the adjectival form of 'west', formed with the suffix '-ern').

'Western' derives from Old English 'westerne' (from Proto-Germanic *westraz meaning 'west'), while 'pro-' entered English from Latin via Old French; the compound 'pro-Western' is a modern political formation that arose in the 20th century.

Initially a literal combination meaning 'for the West,' it has retained that core sense and is now used specifically to describe political or cultural alignment with Western countries or policies.