'mineral-derived' originates from English as a compound of 'mineral' and 'derived'. 'mineral' ultimately comes from Latin, specifically the word 'mineralis' (or Late Latin 'mineral'), where the root relates to 'minera' meaning 'mine' or 'ore'. 'derived' comes from Latin 'derivare', where the prefix 'de-' meant 'from' and the root 'rivus' meant 'stream'.

'mineral' changed from Old French/Middle English forms (Old French 'mineral' / Medieval Latin 'minerale', Middle English 'minerale') and eventually became the modern English 'mineral'. 'derived' came into English via Old French 'deriver' and Middle English 'derive' from Latin 'derivare', and it evolved into the past-participial adjective 'derived'. The compound 'mineral-derived' is a modern English formation combining these elements.

Initially, 'mineral' referred mainly to things related to mines or ores and later broadened to mean inorganic substances found in nature; 'derive' originally meant 'to draw off (water) from a stream' and later generalized to 'obtain from a source'. The compound 'mineral-derived' therefore came to mean 'obtained from mineral sources' and has retained that sense in modern usage.