'one-leafed' originates from Old English elements: 'one' (Old English 'ān') and 'leaf' (Old English 'lēaf'), plus the adjective-forming suffix '-ed' (from Proto-Germanic adjective forms), where 'ān' meant 'one' and 'lēaf' meant 'leaf'.

'one-leafed' is a modern compound formed from earlier Old English components such as 'ān-lēaf' (meaning 'one leaf') and later adjectival formations; the modern hyphenated form reflects the straightforward combination of 'one' + 'leaf' + '-ed'.

Initially it described simply 'having one leaf' and this literal botanical meaning has largely remained unchanged into modern usage.