'word-wise' originates from Modern English, a compound of 'word' (Old English 'word') and the suffix '-wise' (Old English 'wīse' meaning 'manner' or 'way').

'word-wise' formed by combining the noun 'word' (from Old English 'word', from Proto-Germanic *wurdan) with the productive suffix '-wise', which developed from Old English 'wīse' through Middle English to the Modern English suffix used to form adverbs and adjectives.

Initially it carried the sense 'in the manner of words' (i.e., concerning manner or way of words); over time it stabilized to the current sense 'with regard to words' or 'in terms of wording'.