'nationally-focused' originates from the combination of 'nationally' and 'focused', where 'nationally' is derived from 'nation', meaning 'a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory', and 'focused' from 'focus', meaning 'the center of interest or activity'.

'Nationally' evolved from the Latin word 'natio', meaning 'birth, race, nation', and 'focused' from the Latin word 'focus', meaning 'hearth, fireplace'.

Initially, 'nationally-focused' meant 'centered on national issues', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.