'erratically-driven' originates from English, specifically the adverb 'erratically' (from Latin 'errare') and the past participle 'driven' (from Old English 'drīfan'), where 'errare' meant 'to wander' and 'drīfan' meant 'to drive or push'.

'erratic' came into English via Late Latin 'erraticus' and Middle English forms; the adverb 'erratically' was formed by adding '-ly'. 'Drive' comes from Old English 'drīfan' (Proto-Germanic '*drībaną'), and its past participle evolved into Middle English 'driven' and modern 'driven'.

Initially the components referred separately to 'wandering/irregular movement' (from 'erratic') and 'being propelled' (from 'drive'); combined as a compound, the phrase came to mean 'propelled or operated in an unpredictable or irregular way', a sense that has remained stable in modern usage.