'glabrescence' originates from Latin, specifically the adjective 'glaber' meaning 'bald' or 'hairless', combined with the suffix '-escence' (from Latin '-escens'/'-escent-') meaning 'becoming'.

'glabrescence' developed from Medieval/New Latin formations such as 'glabrescens' or 'glabrescentia' (meaning 'becoming hairless'), which entered scientific English usage to denote the process or state; the modern English form 'glabrescence' was formed by analogy with other '-escence' nouns.

Initially rooted in the Latin sense of 'bald' or 'hairless', the term evolved to denote the process or state of becoming hairless (especially in botanical contexts) rather than a static description.