'astringence' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'adstringere' (also attested as 'astringere'), where the prefix 'ad-' meant 'to' or 'toward' and 'stringere' meant 'to bind tight' or 'to draw tight'.

'adstringere' developed into Medieval/Neo-Latin forms such as 'adstringentia'/'astringentia' and passed into French (as 'astringence') before entering English as 'astringence'.

Initially related to the idea of 'binding' or 'drawing tight' (physical tightening), it evolved to denote effects that cause contraction or a drying/puckering sensation and later took on figurative senses of 'sharpness' or 'severity'.