'low-weight' originates from Modern English, specifically formed by compounding the words 'low' and 'weight', where 'low' meant 'not high' and 'weight' meant 'heaviness'.

'low-weight' is a modern compound created in English by joining two older words. Both components trace back to Germanic (Old English) roots and have been used separately for many centuries before being combined into the descriptive compound 'low-weight'.

Initially it meant 'having little weight' when first used as a compound, and that basic meaning has largely remained unchanged in modern usage.