'pro-statism' originates from Latin and French, specifically the Latin prefix 'pro' and the French word 'étatisme' (from 'état'), where 'pro' meant 'for' and 'état' (from Latin 'status') meant 'state'.

'statism' entered English from French 'étatisme' (derived from 'état'), and combining the Latin prefix 'pro-' with English 'statism' produced the compound 'pro-statism' in modern political usage.

Initially, the elements meant 'for' (pro-) and 'state' (état/status), and the compound has come to mean 'being in favor of the state's authority or intervention' — essentially the same basic idea expressed as advocacy.