'aluminum-poor' is a compound of 'aluminum' and 'poor'. 'aluminum' originates from New Latin/Modern scientific coinage, ultimately from Latin 'alumen' where 'alumen' meant 'bitter salt' (alum); 'poor' originates from Old French 'povre', from Latin 'pauper', where it meant 'having little'.

'aluminum' was formed in the early 19th century from 'alum' (Latin 'alumen') and came into English as the name of the chemical element (with variant British form 'aluminium'); 'poor' came through Old French/Middle English from Latin 'pauper'. The modern compound 'aluminum-poor' is a straightforward modern English formation combining these elements.

Initially, 'aluminum' referred to the element (from 'alumen') and 'poor' meant 'having little'—combined they literally meant 'having little aluminum'; this literal sense has remained stable in modern usage.