'hand-carved' originates from English, specifically the compound 'hand-carve', where 'hand' meant 'hand' and 'carve' derives from Old English 'ceorfan' meaning 'to cut'.

'carve' changed from Old English 'ceorfan' through Middle English forms such as 'carven' and eventually became the modern English 'carve'; the compound 'hand-carve' is a modern English combination of 'hand' + 'carve', with 'hand-carved' formed as the past participle/adjectival form.

Initially, the root meant 'to cut'; over time it evolved to mean 'to shape or form (especially wood or stone) by removing material', and 'hand-carved' came to mean 'shaped or ornamented by hand'.