'sterility-causing' originates from the combination of 'sterility' and 'causing', where 'sterility' comes from Latin 'sterilitas', meaning 'barrenness', and 'causing' is derived from Latin 'causa', meaning 'reason or motive'.

'sterility' changed from the Latin word 'sterilitas' and eventually became the modern English word 'sterility'. 'Causing' evolved from the Latin 'causa' through Old French 'causer', leading to the modern English 'cause'.

Initially, 'sterility' meant 'barrenness', and 'causing' meant 'to bring about'. Together, they evolved to mean 'causing infertility'.