'nerve-near' originates from the combination of 'nerve' and 'near', where 'nerve' refers to the fibers that transmit impulses in the body, and 'near' means 'close to'.

'nerve' and 'near' have been used in English since the Middle Ages, and their combination into 'nerve-near' is a modern adaptation to describe proximity to nerves.

Initially, 'nerve' and 'near' were used separately, but their combination now specifically describes proximity to nerves.