'import-reliant' originates from the combination of 'import' and 'reliant', where 'import' comes from Latin 'importare', meaning 'to bring in', and 'reliant' is derived from 'rely', which comes from Old French 'relier', meaning 'to bind'.

'importare' transformed into the English word 'import', and 'relier' evolved into 'rely', eventually forming the compound adjective 'import-reliant'.

Initially, 'import' meant 'to bring in goods', and 'reliant' meant 'dependent'. Together, they evolved to describe a dependency on imported goods.