'database-oriented' originates from the combination of 'database' and 'oriented', where 'database' refers to a structured set of data held in a computer, and 'oriented' means directed towards a particular focus.

The term 'database-oriented' evolved from the increasing use of databases in computing, emphasizing systems or software designed to work with databases.

Initially, it meant 'focused on databases', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.