'radiation-blocking' originates from Modern English, specifically the words 'radiation' and 'blocking', where 'radiation' ultimately comes from Latin 'radiatio' (from 'radius') meaning 'a sending out of rays' and 'blocking' derives from Middle English 'block' (from Middle Dutch 'blok') meaning 'obstruct or stop'.

'radiation' changed from Latin word 'radiatio' (via Old French 'radiacion') and became the English word 'radiation' in Middle/Modern English; 'block' came into English from Middle Dutch 'blok' and Middle English 'blok(k)e'; the compound construction 'radiation-blocking' arose in modern English usage (especially in the 20th century) as technical language describing materials or properties that stop radiation.

Initially, 'radiation' meant 'the emission of rays' and 'block' meant 'a piece of wood' or 'to obstruct'; over time these combined in technical contexts to mean 'to stop or shield against emitted rays', giving the modern sense 'able to stop or reduce radiation'.