'real-world' originates from the combination of 'real' and 'world', where 'real' means 'existing or occurring as fact' and 'world' refers to 'the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features'.

'real' and 'world' have been used separately in English since the Middle Ages, but the compound 'real-world' became more common in the 20th century to describe practical applications.

Initially, 'real' and 'world' were used separately to describe factual existence and the earth, respectively. Over time, 'real-world' evolved to emphasize practical, non-theoretical applications.