'exposed-seed' originates from Modern English compounding of 'exposed' and 'seed'; 'exposed' ultimately derives from Latin 'exponere' (where 'ex-' meant 'out' and 'ponere' meant 'to place'), and 'seed' derives from Old English 'sǣd'.

'exposed' passed into Middle English via Old French and Latin 'exponere', becoming the Modern English 'exposed'; 'seed' evolved from Old English 'sǣd' to Middle English 'sede' and modern 'seed'. The compound form 'exposed-seed' has arisen in descriptive and scientific contexts to denote seeds not enclosed by an ovary.

Individually, 'exposed' originally meant 'put or placed out' and 'seed' meant 'that which is sown'; combined, the compound retained a literal sense and specialized to the botanical meaning 'seed not enclosed by an ovary'.