'insect-pollinated' originates from the combination of 'insect' and 'pollinated'. 'Insect' comes from Latin 'insectum' (from 'in-' + 'secare') where the parts meant 'in-' = 'into' and 'secare' = 'to cut'. 'Pollinate' derives from Latin 'pollinare' (from 'pollen') where 'pollen' meant 'fine powder' (i.e., flower dust).

'insect' entered English via Modern Latin 'insectum' and scientific use in the 17th century; 'pollinate' comes from Late Latin 'pollinare' (from 'pollen') and was adopted into English through botanical and scientific contexts. The compound adjectival form 'insect-pollinated' developed in modern scientific and agricultural English to describe plants pollinated by insects.

Originally, Latin 'insectum' had the literal sense related to 'cut into' and 'pollen' referred simply to fine dust. Over time, 'insect' came to mean the class of small arthropods and 'pollinate' came to mean the transfer of pollen leading to fertilization. Consequently, 'insect-pollinated' now specifically means 'receiving pollination via insects'.