'rightfully-cancelled' is a compound word formed from 'rightfully' and 'cancelled'. 'Rightfully' originates from Old English 'riht', meaning 'just' or 'lawful', and 'cancelled' comes from Latin 'cancellare', meaning 'to cross out'.

'Rightfully' evolved from Old English 'riht' to Middle English 'rightfully', and 'cancelled' evolved from Latin 'cancellare' to Old French 'canceller', eventually becoming the modern English 'cancelled'.

Initially, 'rightfully' meant 'in accordance with justice', and 'cancelled' meant 'crossed out'. Over time, 'rightfully-cancelled' evolved to mean 'cancelled in a justified manner'.