'peptide-based' originates from Modern English, specifically a compound of 'peptide' and 'based'. 'peptide' ultimately comes from Greek 'peptidos' (via New Latin/German scientific usage), where the root 'peptein' meant 'to digest'; 'base' comes from Latin 'basis' via Old French 'base', where 'basis' meant 'foundation'.

'peptide' entered scientific English in the 19th century from Neo-Latin/German usage based on Greek medical terms; 'base' passed into Middle English from Old French and Latin and developed the adjectival/past-participle form 'based' in Modern English. The compound 'peptide-based' formed in Modern English to describe things that are founded on or derived from peptides.

Initially, components related to 'peptide' referred to substances linked to digestion/peptide chemistry and 'base' to a foundation; over time the compound came to mean 'having peptides as the basis' or 'derived from peptides' in scientific and technical contexts.