'speciation-related' originates from modern English compounding of the noun 'speciation' and the adjective 'related'. 'speciation' ultimately comes via New Latin from Latin 'species' (meaning 'appearance, kind') with the suffix '-ation' forming a noun for a process; 'related' comes from Latin 'relatus' (past participle of 'referre', 'to bring back/relate') through Old French and Middle English.

'speciation' developed from Latin 'species' → New Latin/modern scientific formation 'speciatio'/'speciation' (coined in biological literature) and became the technical English noun 'speciation'; 'related' evolved from Latin 'referre' → 'relatus' → Old French/Middle English forms and into the modern English adjective 'related'. The compound 'speciation-related' is a modern English coinage combining those elements.

Initially, 'speciation' referred to the process of forming species and 'related' meant 'connected to'; together the compound's meaning evolved straightforwardly to 'connected with the process of speciation' and is used in scientific contexts to mark association with that process.