'glucose-independent' is a modern compound formed from 'glucose' and 'independent'. 'glucose' originates from Greek, via Modern Latin/Neo-Latin 'glucōs' (from Greek 'glykys'), where 'glykys' meant 'sweet'. 'independent' originates from Latin 'indēpendēns' (from in- 'not' + pendere 'to hang').

'glucose' entered scientific English via Modern Latin/French from Greek 'glykys' meaning 'sweet', later used in chemistry to name the sugar. 'independent' came into English from Latin through Old French and Middle English into the modern adjective 'independent'. The compound 'glucose-independent' developed in modern biomedical English (20th century onward) to describe processes not relying on glucose.

Individually, 'glucose' originally meant 'sweet' (the sugar) and 'independent' meant 'not hanging from' (figuratively 'not relying on'); combined in modern usage they mean 'not relying on glucose'.