'civilian-driven' originates from the combination of 'civilian' and 'driven,' where 'civilian' refers to a person not in the armed services or police force, and 'driven' implies being motivated or propelled by a particular force.

'Civilian' comes from the Latin word 'civilis,' meaning 'relating to a citizen,' and 'driven' is the past participle of 'drive,' which comes from the Old English 'drīfan.'

Initially, 'civilian' meant 'a citizen,' and 'driven' meant 'propelled by force.' Over time, 'civilian-driven' evolved to mean 'led by civilians.'