'file-based' originates from the English word 'file' combined with the suffix '-based', where 'file' refers to a collection of data or information stored in a computer system, and '-based' indicates a foundation or reliance on something.

'file' changed from the Old English word 'fēol' meaning 'a document or record', and '-based' is derived from the word 'base', which has been used in English since the 14th century.

Initially, 'file' meant 'a document or record', but over time it evolved to include digital data storage, leading to the modern usage of 'file-based' in computing.