The term 'still-life' is a calque, or loan translation, from the Dutch stilleven, which emerged as a distinct artistic genre term in the Netherlands during the 16th and 17th centuries. It directly combines the concept of immobility ('still') with the subject matter of organic or domestic objects ('life'), originally to distinguish paintings of inanimate objects from portraits (life) and landscapes. The logic is beautifully literal: it describes the artistic practice of capturing 'life' that is 'still' or motionless, transforming everyday items into subjects of enduring aesthetic contemplation. This English compound faithfully preserves the descriptive clarity of its Dutch source.

Structure: still (motionless) + life (living things) - still: From Old English stille (motionless, quiet, stable). In this compound, it functions as an adjective modifying 'life', indicating the subject is inanimate and stationary. - life: From Old English līf (life, existence). In this compound, it functions as a noun, referring to living things or, by artistic convention, their representations.