'animal-associated' originates from Modern English, combining the noun 'animal' (from Latin 'animalis', where 'anima' meant 'breath' or 'soul') and the adjective/participle 'associated' (from Latin 'associare', where the prefix 'ad-'/implicit sense meant 'to/toward' and 'socius' meant 'companion' or 'ally').

'animal' passed from Latin 'animalis' to Old French 'animal' and into Middle English as 'animal'; 'associate' came from Latin 'associare' to Old/Middle French forms and entered English as 'associate', with the past participle 'associated' used adjectivally. The compound 'animal-associated' is a modern English formation used particularly in scientific and medical writing.

Initially, the components referred to 'living creature' and 'joined or connected'; over time the compound came to be used specifically to mean 'linked to animals' (often implying origin, involvement, or association with animals) in technical contexts.