'catkin-bearing' is a compound word formed from 'catkin' and 'bearing.' 'Catkin' comes from Dutch 'katteken' meaning 'kitten,' referring to the resemblance of the flower cluster to a kitten's tail, and 'bearing' from Old English 'beran' meaning 'to carry or produce.'

'catkin' was adopted into English from Dutch in the 16th century, and 'bearing' has been used since Old English. The compound 'catkin-bearing' was formed in modern English to describe plants that produce catkins.

Initially, it simply described plants that produce catkins, and this meaning has remained unchanged.