'throat-clearing' originates from the combination of 'throat' and 'clearing', where 'throat' refers to the passage from the back of the mouth to the stomach or lungs, and 'clearing' means to make free from obstruction.

'throat-clearing' evolved from the simple act of clearing one's throat to a recognized term for the action.

Initially, it meant 'to clear the throat', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a preparatory action before speaking'.