'insect-mediated' is a compound of two English elements: 'insect' and 'mediate'. 'insect' originates from Latin, specifically the New Latin/Latin word 'insectum', where 'in-' meant 'into' and 'secare' meant 'to cut'. 'mediate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'mediatus', where 'medius' meant 'middle'.

'insect' came into English via New Latin/Medieval Latin 'insectum' (from Latin roots) and became the modern English 'insect' through scientific usage from the 17th century. 'mediate' came from Latin 'mediatus' (past participle of 'mediare') into Middle English and then modern English as 'mediate'; the compound 'insect-mediated' is a modern formation used in scientific and technical contexts.

Initially, the components meant 'cut into' (for 'insect') and 'acting through a middle/ intermediary' (for 'mediate'); over time the compound 'insect-mediated' developed the specific modern sense 'carried or transmitted by insects' (e.g., pollination or disease transmission by insects).