'mobility-preserving' is a modern compound formed from the noun 'mobility' and the present-participle adjective 'preserving' (from the verb 'preserve'). 'Mobility' ultimately comes from Latin 'mobilitas'/'mobilis' meaning 'movable', and 'preserve' comes from Latin 'praeservare' where 'prae-' meant 'before' or 'in front of' and 'servare' meant 'to keep, guard'.

'mobility' entered English via Old French and Medieval Latin from Latin 'mobilis'/'mobilitas' and developed into the Middle English form 'mobilite' before becoming modern 'mobility'. 'Preserve' entered English from Old French 'preserver', derived from Latin 'praeservare'; the present participle form 'preserving' follows regular English verb-to-adjective formation.

The individual elements originally referred to 'movableness' and 'the act of keeping or guarding'; combined in modern English they form a compound adjective meaning 'keeping or maintaining movability' with little semantic shift from the original elements.