'database-linked' originates from the combination of 'database' and 'linked', where 'database' refers to a structured set of data held in a computer, and 'linked' means connected or associated.

The term 'database-linked' evolved from the increasing need to describe systems or applications that are directly connected to databases for data retrieval and storage.

Initially, it meant 'connected to a database', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.