'imprecisely-held' originates from the English word 'imprecise,' which comes from the Latin word 'imprecisus,' where 'im-' meant 'not' and 'precisus' meant 'cut off or precise.'

'imprecisus' transformed into the French word 'imprécis,' and eventually became the modern English word 'imprecise,' which is combined with 'held' to form 'imprecisely-held.'

Initially, 'imprecise' meant 'not cut off or not exact,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.