The compound adjective "whole-life" is a modern English formation built from two native Germanic roots. "Whole" descends from the Old English 'hāl', which carried the core sense of being sound, uninjured, and complete, a meaning preserved in its modern usage. "Life" originates from the Old English 'līf', denoting the state of being alive. The logic of the compound is transparently literal, combining "entire" with "life" to create a term that signifies something encompassing the full duration of one's existence. This literal sense was first applied in the financial sector, specifically to describe a type of insurance policy that provides coverage for the policyholder's complete lifespan, from inception until death. The term has since been extended metaphorically to describe any perspective or approach that considers a person's entire life story or development.

Structure: whole (entire) + life (existence) - whole: From Old English 'hāl' (sound, entire, unhurt). In this compound, it functions as an adjective meaning "entire, complete". - life: From Old English 'līf' (life, existence). In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning "the condition of being alive".