'lipid-based' is a compound formed from 'lipid' + 'based'. 'lipid' originates from Modern Latin/Neo-Latin 'lipidum' and ultimately from Greek 'lipos' meaning 'fat', while 'base' comes from Late Latin/Old French via Latin/Greek 'basis' meaning 'foundation' or 'base'.

'lipid' was coined in scientific contexts in Neo-Latin/Modern usage to denote fat-like substances and entered English via scientific literature; 'base' comes from Old French 'base' and Latin/Greek 'basis', and the adjective-forming use 'based' (meaning 'having a base of') developed by combining a noun with 'based' to indicate what something is founded on, producing the compound 'lipid-based' in modern technical English.

Initially, 'lipos' meant 'fat' and 'basis' meant 'foundation'; combined in modern English, 'lipid-based' evolved to mean 'having lipids as the primary component or delivery foundation' rather than the separate older senses.