'hysteresis-prone' originates from modern English, formed by combining the noun 'hysteresis' and the adjective 'prone'.

'hysteresis' comes from Greek 'hystērēsis' (ὑστέρησις) meaning 'a falling behind' or 'delay', adopted into New Latin and scientific English; 'prone' comes from Latin 'pronus' via Old French and Middle English meaning 'inclined' or 'bent forward'. The compound 'hysteresis-prone' is a relatively recent technical formation in English combining these elements.

Initially, 'hysteresis' meant 'a falling behind' or 'lag'; over time it became a technical term for dependence on past states. 'Prone' originally meant 'bent forward' and evolved to mean 'likely to suffer from' or 'inclined to'. Combined, the compound now means 'likely to exhibit hysteresis'.