'professionally-driven' originates from the combination of 'professionally' and 'driven', where 'professionally' is derived from 'profession', meaning 'a paid occupation', and 'driven' from 'drive', meaning 'to propel or motivate'.

'Professionally-driven' evolved from the need to describe individuals motivated by their professional goals.

Initially, it meant 'motivated by one's profession', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.