'debt-permissive' originates from the combination of 'debt' and 'permissive', where 'debt' refers to an obligation to pay money and 'permissive' means allowing or characterized by great freedom.

The term 'debt-permissive' evolved from the need to describe policies or attitudes that allow for the accumulation of debt.

Initially, it meant 'allowing debt', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.