'oxygen-deficient' originates from the combination of 'oxygen' and 'deficient', where 'oxygen' is derived from the Greek word 'oxys' meaning 'sharp' or 'acid' and 'genes' meaning 'producer', and 'deficient' comes from Latin 'deficere' meaning 'to fail or lack'.

'oxygen' changed from the Greek word 'oxygene' and eventually became the modern English word 'oxygen'. 'Deficient' evolved from the Latin 'deficere' through Old French 'deficient' to the modern English 'deficient'.

Initially, 'oxygen' referred to a component of air necessary for life, and 'deficient' meant lacking. Together, they describe a state of lacking oxygen.