'cost-centric' originates from the combination of 'cost' and the suffix '-centric', where 'cost' refers to the expenditure of resources and '-centric' means centered around or focused on.

'Cost' comes from the Old French word 'coste', and '-centric' is derived from the Latin 'centrum', meaning center.

Initially, 'cost' referred to the price of goods, but in modern usage, it encompasses all types of expenses.