'androgen-promoting' originates from modern English, specifically the words 'androgen' and 'promote', where 'androgen' is a compound built from Greek roots and 'promote' comes from Latin 'promovere'.

'androgen' ultimately comes from Greek 'andros' meaning 'man' and the combining form '-gen' meaning 'to produce' via Neo-Latin 'androgenes'; 'promote' comes from Latin 'promovere' (pro- 'forward' + movere 'to move'); these elements combined in modern English to form the compound adjective 'androgen-promoting'.

Initially, the parts referred separately to 'male-producing' (from Greek) and 'to move forward or advance' (from Latin); over time, compounds like 'androgen-promoting' came to mean specifically 'increasing or stimulating androgen production or effect' in medical contexts.