'document-centric' originates from the combination of 'document' and the suffix '-centric', where 'document' refers to a written or printed record and '-centric' means centered around or focused on.

'document' comes from the Latin word 'documentum', meaning 'lesson, proof', and '-centric' is derived from the Greek word 'kentrikos', meaning 'pertaining to a center'.

Initially, 'document-centric' meant focusing on physical documents, but it has evolved to include digital documents in modern usage.