'descriptive-only' originates from Modern English, specifically the combination of the adjective 'descriptive' and the word 'only'; 'descriptive' ultimately comes from Latin 'describere' (de- + scribere) meaning 'to write down/describe', and 'only' comes from Old English 'ānlic' meaning 'single/alone'.

'descriptive' passed into English via Old French and Middle English (e.g., Middle English 'descriptyf') from Latin 'describere', while 'only' derives from Old English 'ānlic'; the hyphenated compound 'descriptive-only' is a Modern English formation used to indicate limitation to description.

Initially, 'descriptive' meant 'serving to describe' and 'only' meant 'single/sole'; together in Modern English they have come to mean 'restricted to description, not prescriptive or evaluative'.