'commendation-driven' originates from the word 'commendation,' which comes from Latin 'commendatio,' meaning 'praise' or 'recommendation,' combined with 'driven,' from Old English 'drifan,' meaning 'to drive.'

'commendatio' transformed into the Old French 'commendacion,' and eventually became the modern English word 'commendation.'

Initially, 'commendation' meant 'praise or recommendation,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.