'oxygen-permeable' originates from English, formed from 'oxygen' + 'permeable', where 'oxygen' ultimately comes via French 'oxygène' from Greek 'oxys' (meaning 'sharp' or 'acid') + '-genes' ('producer'), and 'permeable' comes from Latin 'permēare' (from 'per-' meaning 'through' and 'meare' meaning 'to pass').

'oxygen' entered English in the late 18th century via French 'oxygène'; 'permeable' derives from Latin 'permēabilis' through Middle English; the compound 'oxygen-permeable' is a more recent technical formation, common from the 20th century onward in materials and biomedical contexts.

Initially, 'oxygen' related to the acid-producing concept in early chemistry but later became the name of the chemical element; 'permeable' has retained the sense 'allowing passage'; together the compound now specifically means 'allowing oxygen to pass through'.