'syntax-free' originates from the combination of 'syntax' and 'free', where 'syntax' refers to the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences, and 'free' implies the absence of constraints.

The term 'syntax-free' evolved from the need to describe systems or languages that do not adhere to traditional syntactic rules.

Initially, it meant 'not bound by syntax rules', and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.