'pro-medievalism' originates from English, specifically the prefix 'pro-' and the noun 'medievalism', where 'pro-' meant 'in favor of' (from Latin 'pro') and 'medievalism' meant 'the interest in or revival of medieval culture and institutions.'

'medievalism' developed from 'medieval' (from Latin medium aevum, 'middle age') plus the suffix '-ism' to denote a movement or ideology; the combining of the Latin-derived prefix 'pro-' with 'medievalism' is a modern English formation used to indicate active support or advocacy, producing the compound 'pro-medievalism.'

Initially, 'medievalism' described study, fascination, or revival of the Middle Ages; when prefixed by 'pro-' the term evolved into an explicitly advocative label meaning 'in favor of medievalist ideas or restoration,' often used in contemporary academic and political critique.