'imaginatively-guided' is a modern English compound formed from the adverb 'imaginatively' and the past-participle adjective 'guided'. 'Imaginatively' comes from 'imaginative' + '-ly', and 'imaginative' traces back to Latin 'imaginari' (via Old French), where 'imago' meant 'image'. 'Guided' is the past participle of 'guide', from Old French 'guider'.

'imaginative' developed from Latin 'imaginari' through Old French 'imaginer' into Middle English 'imaginatif' and eventually modern English 'imaginative'. 'Guide' changed from Old French 'guider' (from a Germanic source) into Middle English 'giden/gyden' and then modern English 'guide'; combining their modern forms produced the compound 'imaginatively-guided'.

Initially the components related to 'image' (for 'imaginative') and 'leading' (for 'guide'); over time the compound came to mean 'led or directed by imaginative thought' in modern usage.