'philosophically-minded' originates from Modern English, specifically the adverb 'philosophically' (from Greek via Latin and Old French) and the adjective-forming element 'minded' from Old English 'gemynd'/'mynd' (mind). In that formation, 'philo-' and 'sophia' in Greek meant 'loving' and 'wisdom' respectively, and 'mind(ed)' denotes having a mind of a specified kind.

'philosophically' developed from Greek 'philosophia' > Latin 'philosophia' > Old French/Medieval Latin forms > Middle English 'philosophie' > Modern English 'philosophy' and its adverbial derivative; 'minded' comes from Old English 'gemynd' (memory, thought) > Middle English 'mind' > adjective-forming use 'minded' (meaning 'having a specified kind of mind'). These elements combined in Modern English to form the compound adjective 'philosophically-minded'.

Initially the elements referred separately to 'love of wisdom' (philosophia) and 'having a mind' (minded); over time they combined to mean 'having a disposition toward philosophical thinking' or 'inclined to consider matters philosophically'.