'judgment-based' is a modern English compound formed from the noun 'judgment' and the adjective 'based'. 'judgment' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'judgement', where the root comes from Old French 'jugement' and ultimately Latin 'judicium'. 'based' originates from the past participle of the verb 'base', from Old French 'bas' and Late Latin or Greek influences such as Latin 'basis' and Greek 'basis'.

'judgment' changed from Old French 'jugement' to Middle English 'judgement' and eventually became the modern English noun 'judgment'. 'base' evolved from Old French 'bas' through Middle English into the modern English adjective and verb 'base', and then formed the past-participle adjective 'based'.

Initially, elements like Latin 'judicium' meant 'a judging' or 'trial', and 'basis' meant 'a step' or 'foundation'; over time these developed into the modern senses, so the compound now specifically means 'founded on judgment' or 'based on judgment'.