'unreliably-stocked' originates from English, formed by combining the adverb 'unreliably' and the past-participle adjective 'stocked'. 'Unreliably' comes from 'unreliable' + '-ly', where the prefix 'un-' meant 'not' and '-ly' forms adverbs; 'unreliable' is from 'rely' + '-able', with 'rely' ultimately from Old French 'relier' < Latin 'religare' meaning 'to bind fast; tie back'. 'Stocked' is from 'stock' (Old English 'stocc') meaning 'tree trunk; post', later 'supply; goods for sale'.

'Unreliably-stocked' emerged as a modern hyphenated compound in contemporary English (retail/logistics contexts). Earlier elements: Middle/Modern English 'rely' (via Old French 'relier' < Latin 'religare') developed into 'reliable' and then 'unreliable' + '-ly' → 'unreliably'; Old English 'stocc' → Middle English 'stok/stock' → participial adjective 'stocked'. These elements combined to yield the modern English 'unreliably-stocked'.

Initially, it conveyed the literal idea of being 'stocked in a way that is not reliable'; this sense persists, now commonly applied to stores, warehouses, or product lines with inconsistent availability.