The compound adjective "system-wide" is a modern English formation, combining two native elements with clear, transparent meanings. The first element, "system," entered English in the early 17th century from the Latin systema, which itself originated from the Greek sustēma, meaning "an organized whole, a composition." The second element, "wide," is a fundamental Germanic adjective from Old English wīd, denoting broad spatial extent. The logic of the compound is straightforward and compositional: it directly applies the concept of broad, comprehensive scope ("wide") to the entirety of a defined, organized collection ("system"). This pattern of combining a noun with "-wide" (e.g., "worldwide," "company-wide") is a productive method in English for creating adjectives that describe something encompassing all parts of the specified entity.

Structure: system (a set of connected things) + wide (extending over a large area) - system: From Greek sustēma (a whole compounded of several parts), via Late Latin systema. Acts as the base noun. - wide: From Old English wīd (spacious, extensive), from Proto-Germanic wīdaz. Acts as a combining form meaning "extending throughout".