'plasmin-mediated' is a compound formed from 'plasmin' and 'mediated'. 'plasmin' originates from Modern Latin 'plasma' with the protein-forming suffix '-in', where 'plasma' meant 'something formed or molded' and '-in' denoted a substance (often a protein). 'mediated' originates from Latin 'mediatus', the past participle of 'mediare', where the root 'medius' meant 'middle'.

'plasmin' was coined in biomedical Latin in the 20th century from 'plasma' + '-in' to name a proteolytic enzyme; 'mediate' entered English via Latin (and Old French influence) as a verb meaning 'act through an intermediate', and its past participle form evolved into the adjectival 'mediated'. Combined, the modern compound 'plasmin-mediated' developed in scientific usage to describe processes effected by plasmin.

Initially, 'plasmin' referred to a substance related to blood plasma and 'mediate' meant 'to act through an intermediary'; over time the compound came to mean specifically 'caused or facilitated by the enzyme plasmin' in biomedical contexts.