'spirit-crushing' is a compound word formed from 'spirit' and 'crushing', where 'spirit' refers to one's emotional state or morale, and 'crushing' implies overwhelming or defeating.

The term 'spirit-crushing' evolved from the combination of 'spirit' and 'crushing', both of which have been used in English since the Middle Ages.

Initially, 'crushing' referred to physical destruction, but over time it evolved to include emotional or psychological defeat, leading to the modern meaning of 'spirit-crushing'.