'groundnut-related' originates from modern English, specifically a compound of 'groundnut' and 'related', where 'groundnut' is a compound of 'ground' (Old English 'grund', meaning 'ground, earth') + 'nut' (Old English 'hnutu', meaning 'nut'), and 'related' comes from Latin 'relatus' via Old French/ Middle English meaning 'brought back' or 'connected'.

'groundnut' developed as a compound (earlier forms include 'ground-nut' or 'earth-nut') and became the single word 'groundnut' in modern English; 'related' evolved from Latin 'referre' -> past participle 'relatus' -> Old French 'relater' -> Middle English 'relaten' and eventually modern English 'relate/related', and the compound 'groundnut-related' is a modern compound combining them.

Initially the elements referred literally to 'a nut on or in the ground' and to being 'brought back/connected'; over time 'groundnut' became established as the name for the peanut and 'related' as 'connected to', and together they now mean 'connected to groundnuts/peanuts'.