'fuel-powered' originates from the combination of 'fuel' and 'powered', where 'fuel' refers to a substance that is burned to provide energy, and 'powered' means operated or driven by a particular source.

'Fuel' comes from the Old French word 'fouaille', and 'powered' is derived from the Middle English 'poweren', meaning to supply with power.

Initially, 'fuel-powered' referred to any device or machine that used fuel for operation, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.