'tactfully-stated' originates from the combination of 'tactful' and 'state', where 'tactful' comes from the Latin word 'tactus', meaning 'sense of touch', and 'state' from the Latin 'stare', meaning 'to stand'.

'tactful' evolved from the Latin 'tactus' through Old French 'tact', and 'state' from Latin 'stare' through Old French 'estat', eventually forming the modern English phrase 'tactfully-stated'.

Initially, 'tactful' meant 'having a sense of touch', but over time it evolved to mean 'having sensitivity in dealing with others'.