'verso-written' originates as a Modern English compound combining 'verso' and 'written'. 'Verso' ultimately comes from Latin 'versus' (from the verb 'vertere'), where 'vertere' meant 'to turn' and 'versus' came to mean 'the turned side' or 'back/line'; 'written' comes from Old English 'writan', meaning 'to scratch, draw, write'.

'verso' passed into English via Medieval Latin and Romance languages (e.g. Italian 'verso') to denote the back side of a leaf; 'written' evolved from Old English 'writan' through Middle English into modern 'write' and its past-participle form 'written'. The compound 'verso-written' is a descriptive Modern English formation (verso + written).

Initially, 'verso' primarily signified 'turned' or 'the turned side' and 'writan' meant 'to scratch or inscribe'; together in Modern English the compound's meaning has settled on 'inscribed on the back side of a page'.