'gland-bearing' originates from the combination of 'gland' and 'bearing', where 'gland' refers to an organ in the body that secretes particular chemical substances and 'bearing' means carrying or producing.

The term 'gland' comes from the Latin word 'glandula', meaning 'little acorn', and 'bearing' is derived from the Old English 'beran', meaning 'to carry'.

Initially, 'gland' referred to a small acorn-like structure, but over time it evolved to mean an organ that secretes substances. 'Bearing' has maintained its meaning of carrying or producing.