'many-nerved' originates from Modern English, specifically the combination of 'many' and 'nerved', where 'many' meant 'numerous' and 'nerved' is derived from the noun 'nerve' meaning 'sinew, vein, or nerve'.

'many' comes from Old English 'manig' (from Proto-Germanic '*managaz'), while 'nerve' comes from Latin 'nervus' (via Old French 'nerf'); the compound 'many-nerved' was formed in Modern English by joining these elements, with 'nerved' functioning as an adjectival past-participle form of 'nerve'.

Initially it described having many nerves or veins (literally 'many nerves'); over time it has remained specialized in descriptive contexts (botany/anatomy) to mean 'many-veined' or 'densely veined'.