'unlawfully-funded' originates from the combination of 'unlawful' and 'funded', where 'unlawful' is derived from Old English 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'lagu' meaning 'law', and 'funded' from Latin 'fundus' meaning 'bottom' or 'base'.

'unlawfully-funded' changed from the Old English word 'unlagu' and Latin 'fundus' to eventually become the modern English term 'unlawfully-funded'.

Initially, it meant 'not in accordance with the law in terms of financial support', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.