'aluminium-deficient' originates from English, specifically the words 'aluminium' and 'deficient', where 'aluminium' referred to the metal element and 'deficient' meant 'lacking' or 'not sufficient'.

'aluminium' comes from New Latin 'alumen' (from Latin), originally referring to 'alum' (a compound used since antiquity); the modern chemical name 'aluminium' was coined in the early 19th century (later shortened in some dialects to 'aluminum'). 'Deficient' derives from Latin 'deficere' via Old French/Latin meanings related to 'to fail' or 'be lacking', and combined in English to form compound adjectives such as 'aluminium-deficient'.

Initially 'alumen' referred to the mineral 'alum' and its uses; over time 'aluminium' came to denote the metallic element. 'Deficient' originally conveyed 'falling short' and has retained the meaning 'lacking' in modern compounds like 'aluminium-deficient'.