'carbohydrate-focused' originates from Modern English, specifically the combination of the noun 'carbohydrate' and the adjective 'focused'. 'Carbohydrate' ultimately derives from Neo-Latin/Modern Latin elements (Latin 'carbo' meaning 'coal, carbon') combined with Greek 'hydōr' meaning 'water' (giving the sense 'hydrated carbon'), and 'focus' comes from Latin 'focus' meaning 'hearth' (later used figuratively as 'point of concentration').

'carbohydrate-focused' formed as a compound adjective in late 20th century English by joining 'carbohydrate' (a scientific term coined in the 19th century to describe 'hydrated carbon'—sugars and starches) with the past-participial adjective 'focused' (from 'focus', which entered English via Latin).

Initially, 'carbohydrate' referred to 'hydrated carbon' in a chemical sense; over time it shifted to mean dietary sugars and starches. 'Focus' originally meant 'hearth' and later developed the figurative sense 'point of attention'; combined, the compound now means 'placing emphasis on carbohydrates'.