'tick-ridden' originates from the combination of 'tick,' referring to the small arachnid, and 'ridden,' which comes from Old English 'rīdan,' meaning 'to ride.'

'tick-ridden' combines the word 'tick' with the suffix '-ridden,' which has been used in English since the 16th century to denote being afflicted or burdened by something.

Initially, 'ridden' meant 'to ride,' but over time it evolved to mean 'afflicted by' when used as a suffix, leading to the modern meaning of 'tick-ridden.'