The phrase 'at-risk' combines 'at,' a preposition indicating position or condition, with 'risk,' originating from the Italian word 'risco,' meaning 'danger or peril.'

'Risk' evolved from the Italian 'risco' to the French 'risque,' and eventually became the modern English word 'risk.'

Initially, 'risk' meant 'danger or peril,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.