'ankle-covering' originates from Modern English, specifically as a compound of the noun 'ankle' and the present participle 'covering', where 'ankle' denotes the joint between the foot and the leg and 'covering' comes from the verb 'cover' meaning 'to place over'.

'ankle' comes from Old English roots referring to the joint (found in early Middle English forms) and 'cover' entered English via Old French (covrir) from Latin 'cooperire' meaning 'to cover completely'; the two elements were later combined in Modern English to form descriptive compounds like 'ankle-covering'.

Initially a literal compound meaning 'something that covers the ankle', its meaning has remained essentially descriptive and literal in modern usage.