'eco-friendly' originates from the combination of 'eco,' a prefix derived from 'ecology,' and 'friendly,' meaning 'not harmful.'

'eco' was derived from the Greek word 'oikos,' meaning 'house' or 'environment,' and 'friendly' from Old English 'freondlic,' meaning 'kind' or 'helpful.'

Initially, it meant 'kind to the environment,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.