'compact-flowering' originates from the combination of 'compact' and 'flowering', where 'compact' means 'closely packed together' and 'flowering' refers to the process of producing flowers.

'Compact' and 'flowering' have been used in English since the late Middle Ages, and their combination into 'compact-flowering' is a modern adaptation to describe certain plant characteristics.

Initially, 'compact' and 'flowering' were used separately, but over time they evolved into a combined term to describe plants with dense floral arrangements.