'government-controlled' originates from the combination of 'government' and 'controlled', where 'government' refers to the governing body of a nation, and 'controlled' means to exercise restraint or direction over.

The term 'government-controlled' evolved from the need to describe entities or sectors that are under the direct influence or regulation of a governmental body.

Initially, it meant 'regulated by a governing body', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.