'mechanically-minded' originates from the combination of 'mechanical,' which comes from the Latin 'mechanicus,' meaning 'of or pertaining to machines,' and 'minded,' which is derived from the Old English 'gemind,' meaning 'memory or thought.'

'mechanical' evolved from the Latin 'mechanicus' through Middle English, while 'minded' transformed from the Old English 'gemind' to the modern English 'minded.'

Initially, 'mechanical' referred to anything related to machines, while 'minded' referred to one's mental state. Together, they evolved to describe someone with a natural inclination towards machines.