'structure-oriented' originates from the combination of 'structure' and 'oriented', where 'structure' refers to the arrangement of and relations between the parts or elements of something complex, and 'oriented' means directed towards or focused on.

The term 'structure-oriented' evolved from the need to describe processes or systems that are organized around a specific framework or structure.

Initially, it meant 'focused on a specific structure', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.