'aqueous-formulated' originates from Modern English, composed of the adjective 'aqueous' (from Latin 'aqua') and the verb 'formulate' (from Latin 'formulare'), where 'aqua' meant 'water' and 'formulare' meant 'to form or shape'.

'aqueous' came into English via Late Latin and Old French forms related to Latin 'aquaticus' and 'aqua', and 'formulate' developed from Latin 'formulatus' (past participle of 'formulare'); in Modern English these elements combined into the compound 'aqueous-formulated'.

Initially, 'aqueous' meant 'of or relating to water' and 'formulate' meant 'to put into form or express in a formula'; over time the compound came to mean specifically 'prepared or formulated using water (an aqueous medium)'.