'internet-based' originates from the combination of 'internet' and 'based', where 'internet' refers to the global network of interconnected computers, and 'based' means 'founded on or derived from'.

'internet' evolved from the term 'internetwork', which was used in the 1970s to describe a network of networks. 'Based' has been used in English since the 14th century to mean 'founded on'.

Initially, 'internet-based' simply referred to anything that was connected to or operated through the internet. This meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.