'animal-dispersed' is a modern English compound built from 'animal' + 'dispersed'. 'animal' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'animal', where 'anima' meant 'breath' or 'soul'. 'disperse' originates from Latin, specifically the verb 'dispergere', where the prefix 'dis-' meant 'apart' and 'spargere' meant 'to scatter'.

'animal' entered English via Old French and Middle English from Latin 'animal'. 'disperse' came into English from Latin 'dispersus' / 'dispergere' through Old French and Middle English, and the past participle 'dispersed' was later used in compounds such as 'animal-dispersed'.

Initially, Latin 'animal' referred to a living being ('having breath') and 'dispergere' meant 'to scatter'; together in modern English the compound has the specific biological meaning 'scattered or spread by animals'.