'wear-resistant' is a modern English compound formed from 'wear' and 'resistant'. 'wear' originates from Old English 'werian', where the root meant 'to carry, bear, put on'. 'resistant' comes from Latin 'resistere' ('re-' meaning 'back' or 'again' and 'sistere' meaning 'to stand'), via Old French and Middle English.

'resistere' (Latin) → Old French 'resister' → Middle English 'resist' and adjective 'resistant'; 'werian' (Old English) developed into Middle English 'weren/wear' and the modern English 'wear'; the compound 'wear-resistant' was formed in modern English to describe materials that resist wear.

Initially, 'resistere' meant 'to stand back or oppose' and 'wear' referred broadly to wearing or carrying; over time the compound 'wear-resistant' came to mean specifically 'able to resist abrasion or surface wear'.