'well-connected' originates from Modern English as a compound of 'well' (Old English 'wel') and the past participle 'connected' from Latin 'connectere', where 'con-' meant 'together' and 'nectere' meant 'to bind'.

'connect' changed from Latin 'connectere' into Old French/Medieval Latin forms and then into Middle English 'connecten' before becoming the modern English 'connect'; 'well' comes from Old English 'wel', and the compound 'well-connected' developed in Modern English to describe socially advantageous ties.

Initially the elements referred to being 'joined together' or 'firmly bound', but over time the compound shifted to the social sense of 'having advantageous or influential personal connections'.