'seldom-cited' is a compound of the adverb 'seldom' and the past participle 'cited'. 'seldom' originates from Old English (Old English 'seldum' / related to Old Norse 'seldan'), where the root meant 'not often' or 'rarely'. 'cite' originates from Latin 'citare', where 'citare' meant 'to summon, put in motion' and passed into English via Old French.

'seldom' appeared in Middle English with the meaning 'not often'; 'cite' entered English from Old French 'citer' (from Latin 'citare'), giving English the verb 'cite' and its past participle 'cited'. The compound 'seldom-cited' is a modern English formation combining these elements to describe something that is rarely cited.

Initially, 'seldom' meant 'not often' and 'cite' historically could mean 'to summon or call' as well as 'to refer to'; over time the combined expression came to mean specifically 'rarely referred to in citations or references' in contemporary usage.