'speciation-associated' is a compound formed from 'speciation' and 'associated'. 'Speciation' originates from Latin 'species' (kind, appearance) with the English nominalizing suffix '-ation.' 'Associated' comes from Latin 'associare' via past participle 'associatus', where 'ad-'/'as-' meant 'to/toward' and 'soci-' (from 'socius') meant 'companion' or 'ally'.

'speciation' developed in scientific English from Latin 'species' through Medieval and Modern Latin to denote the process producing distinct biological 'species.' 'Associated' came into English via Old French/Latin forms (such as 'associare' / 'associatus') and entered common use as an adjective meaning 'connected or related.' The compound 'speciation-associated' is a modern scientific formation combining these elements.

Initially, the roots referred to 'kind/appearance' (species) and 'joining/companionship' (associate). Over time, 'speciation' came to mean the evolutionary process of forming species, and 'associated' retained the sense 'connected with'; the compound now specifically means 'connected with the process of speciation.'