'often-led' is a compound word formed from 'often' and 'led'. 'Often' originates from Old English 'oft', meaning 'frequently', and 'led' is the past participle of 'lead', originating from Old English 'lædan', meaning 'to guide'.

'often' changed from Old English 'oft' to Middle English 'ofte', and eventually became the modern English word 'often'. 'Led' is the past participle of 'lead', which has remained largely unchanged since Old English.

Initially, 'often' meant 'frequently', and 'led' meant 'guided'. The compound 'often-led' retains these meanings, indicating frequent guidance.