'pollen-shedding' originates from the combination of 'pollen' and 'shedding', where 'pollen' refers to the fine powdery substance, typically yellow, consisting of microscopic grains discharged from the male part of a flower, and 'shedding' means to release or let fall.

'Pollen' comes from the Latin word 'pollen', meaning 'fine flour', and 'shedding' comes from the Old English 'sceadan', meaning 'to divide or separate'.

Initially, 'shedding' meant 'to divide or separate', but in this context, it evolved to mean 'to release or let fall'.