'wrongfully-held' originates from the combination of 'wrongfully' and 'held', where 'wrongfully' is derived from 'wrong' meaning 'incorrect or unjust', and 'held' is the past participle of 'hold', meaning 'to keep or retain'.

'wrongfully' evolved from Old English 'wrang', meaning 'injustice', and 'held' from Old English 'healdan', meaning 'to hold or keep'.

Initially, 'wrongfully' meant 'in a manner that is unjust', and 'held' meant 'kept or retained'. The combination retains the original meanings, emphasizing unjust retention.