'career-driven' originates from the combination of 'career' and 'driven', where 'career' refers to one's professional journey and 'driven' implies being motivated or propelled.

'career' evolved from the Latin word 'carrus', meaning 'wheeled vehicle', and 'driven' from the Old English 'drifan', meaning 'to drive'.

Initially, 'career' referred to a path or course, and 'driven' meant being propelled. Together, they now imply a strong focus on professional advancement.