'letter-oriented' is a compound formed in modern English from 'letter' + 'oriented'. 'letter' originates from Latin 'littera' via Old French 'lettre', meaning 'written character', and 'oriented' comes from French 'orienter' and Latin 'oriens' meaning 'rising' or 'facing east', later extended to 'directed toward'.

'letter' entered English from Old French 'lettre', which came from Latin 'littera'. 'orient' comes from Latin 'oriens' (present participle of 'oriri', to rise) via Old French; 'orient(‑ed)' developed the figurative sense 'directed toward' in later English, and the compound 'letter-oriented' is a modern descriptive formation combining these elements.

Individually, 'letter' originally meant 'a written character', and 'orient' originally meant 'to face or rise toward the east' but came to mean 'to direct toward' in figurative use; together the compound's meaning evolved to 'directed toward letters or literal form' rather than its components' older or more literal senses.