'adpress' originates from Latin, specifically from elements related to the verb 'adpremere'/'adpressus', where 'ad-' meant 'to, toward' and 'premere' meant 'to press'.

'adpress' passed into Old French forms such as 'apresser'/'appresser' and into Middle English (variously spelled), and eventually became the modern English term 'adpress' with the adjective/past form 'adpressed'.

Initially it meant 'to press toward' or 'to press closely'; over time it specialized to mean 'pressed closely against' or 'lying flat against', especially in botanical usage.