'neuron-poor' originates from Modern English, formed by compounding 'neuron' and 'poor'; 'neuron' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'neûron', where 'neuron' meant 'nerve', and 'poor' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'pauvre', ultimately from Latin 'pauper' meaning 'having little'.

'neuron' entered scientific English via Modern Latin and 19th-century scientific usage from Greek 'neûron'; 'poor' entered English via Old French 'pauvre' and Middle English forms like 'povre'/'poor'; the compound 'neuron-poor' is a recent Modern English coinage used in scientific and clinical descriptions.

Initially, 'neuron' meant 'nerve' and 'poor' meant 'having little' or 'in a state of lack'; combined as 'neuron-poor' it now specifically denotes 'having relatively few neurons' in a tissue or region.