'often-kept' is a compound word formed from 'often' and 'kept'. 'Often' originates from Old English 'oft', meaning 'frequently', and 'kept' is the past participle of 'keep', which comes from Old English 'cēpan', meaning 'to seize or hold'.

'often' evolved from Old English 'oft', and 'kept' from 'cēpan', eventually forming the modern compound 'often-kept'.

Initially, 'often' meant 'frequently', and 'kept' meant 'held or maintained'. The compound 'often-kept' retains these meanings, indicating something frequently maintained.