'pollen-bearing' originates from modern English, specifically a compound of the noun 'pollen' and the verb 'bear' (present participle 'bearing'). 'pollen' comes from Latin 'pollen' meaning 'fine flour' or 'dust', and 'bear' comes from Old English 'beran' meaning 'to carry'.

'pollen' passed from Latin 'pollen' into Medieval Latin and Middle English as forms like 'polen' and became the modern English 'pollen'; 'beran' in Old English evolved into Middle English 'beren' and the modern verb 'bear', with the present participle forming as 'bearing'. The compound 'pollen-bearing' was formed in modern English by combining these elements.

Initially, 'pollen' meant 'fine flour' or 'dust' and 'bear' meant 'to carry'; together the compound originally described 'carrying fine dust' and has retained the specific botanical sense of 'carrying or producing pollen'.