'latency-prone' is a compound of 'latency' and 'prone'. 'latency' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'latentia' (from 'latēre'), where 'latēre' meant 'to lie hidden'. 'prone' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'pronus', where 'pronus' meant 'inclined' or 'leaning forward'.

'latency' entered English via Late Latin 'latentia' and Medieval Latin and became the modern English 'latency'; 'prone' came from Latin 'pronus' through Old French and Middle English as 'prone'. In modern technical English the two were combined as the compound 'latency-prone'.

Initially, 'latency' meant 'the state of being hidden' in Latin, but over time it developed the technical sense of 'delay between cause and effect' (especially in computing). 'prone' originally meant 'inclined' and evolved to mean 'likely to suffer from'. Together, 'latency-prone' now means 'likely to experience or cause delays.'