'legally-funded' originates from the combination of 'legal' and 'funded', where 'legal' comes from Latin 'legalis', meaning 'pertaining to the law', and 'funded' is derived from 'fund', which comes from Latin 'fundus', meaning 'bottom' or 'base'.

'legalis' transformed into the Old French word 'legal', and eventually became the modern English word 'legal'. 'Fundus' evolved into the Old French 'fonder', and eventually became the modern English word 'fund'.

Initially, 'legal' meant 'pertaining to the law', and 'fund' meant 'base'. Over time, 'legally-funded' evolved to mean 'supported by legal means'.