'several' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'several' (ultimately from Latin 'separare'), where the Latin root 'separare' meant 'to separate'; 'fold' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'feald', where 'feald' meant 'bend' or 'fold'.

'several-fold' developed as an English compound by combining 'several' and 'fold' in Middle English and was used analogously to compounds like 'twofold' and 'manifold' before stabilizing as the modern compound 'several-fold'.

Initially related to the idea of things being 'separate' or 'in several parts', the compound came to be used primarily to express multiplication or increase — that is, 'several times' its original amount.