'ester-linked' is a compound of 'ester' + past participle 'linked'. 'ester' originates from 19th-century German chemical usage (from compounds such as 'Essigäther' meaning acetic ether), where 'Essig' meant 'vinegar' and 'Äther' meant 'ether'. 'linked' is the past participle of 'link', from Old English/Old Norse roots meaning a connection or fastening.

'ester' was coined in scientific contexts in Continental European languages in the 1800s (from German compounds describing ethers of acids) and then adopted into English as the general name for this class of chemical compounds. 'link' progressed from Old Norse/Old English words for a physical connection into Middle English 'link(e)' and the modern verb and participle 'link/linked', and the compound 'ester-linked' developed by joining the noun 'ester' with the participle 'linked' to describe a bond.

Initially, terms related to 'ester' referred to specific acetic ethers (e.g. acetic ether); over time 'ester' generalized to mean the class of organic compounds with the R–CO–O–R' structure. 'link' originally meant a physical fastening and evolved to include chemical bonding; together 'ester-linked' now specifically denotes connection via an ester bond.