'internally-oriented' originates from the combination of 'internal' and 'oriented', where 'internal' comes from Latin 'internus' meaning 'inside' and 'oriented' from Latin 'orientare' meaning 'to arrange'.

'Internally-oriented' evolved from the combination of 'internal' and 'oriented', which were used separately in Middle English and later combined in modern English.

Initially, it meant 'focused on internal matters', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.