'angular-nerved' is a compound formed from 'angular' and 'nerved'. 'Angular' originates from Latin, specifically the adjective 'angularis' derived from 'angulus' meaning 'angle'. 'Nerved' comes ultimately from Latin 'nervus' (through Old English 'nerf'), where 'nervus' meant 'sinew, nerve' and was extended in botanical English to mean 'vein' or 'vein-like rib'.

'angular' entered English via Middle French/Latin influences (from Latin 'angularis' from 'angulus'), while 'nerved' descends from Old English 'nerf' (from Latin 'nervus'); the two elements were later joined in technical botanical usage to form the compound 'angular-nerved' describing leaf venation.

Initially, 'angular' referred simply to having angles and 'nerved' to sinew/nerve; over time in botanical contexts 'nerved' came to denote 'veined,' and the compound came to mean 'having sharply angled veins.'