'system-centeredness' originates from Modern English, specifically the compound of 'system' and 'centeredness'. 'system' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'systēma', where 'syn-' meant 'together' and the root related to 'placing' or 'standing' meant an 'organized whole'.

'system' passed into Latin as 'systema' and into English via medieval and modern borrowings; 'centeredness' developed from 'center' (from Greek 'kentron' through Latin 'centrum' and Old/Middle English forms) combined with the adjective-forming element '-ed' and the abstract noun suffix '-ness'. The modern compound 'system-centeredness' is a recent English formation combining these elements.

Initially, 'system' meant an organized whole and 'centeredness' described a state of being centered; over time, combining them yielded the present meaning of a disposition or condition of focusing on systems, structures, or processes rather than on people or outcomes.