'starch-derived' originates from English as a compound of 'starch' and 'derived'. 'starch' ultimately comes from Old English 'stearc', where 'stearc' meant 'stiff'. 'derived' comes via Latin 'derivare', where the elements 'de-' meant 'from' and 'rivus' meant 'stream'.

'starch' changed from Old English 'stearc' to Middle English forms and eventually became the modern English word 'starch'. 'derive' changed from Latin 'derivare' to Old French 'deriver' and then into Middle English 'derive', leading to the modern participle 'derived'. The compound 'starch-derived' is a modern English formation combining these elements.

Initially, 'stearc' carried the sense of 'stiff' (related to stiffening), and over time the term shifted to denote the carbohydrate substance now called 'starch'. 'derive' originally had a sense of 'draw off' or 'lead from a stream' and evolved to mean 'obtain from' or 'be produced from'; together, the compound now means 'obtained from starch'.