'gymnocarpy' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'gymnos' meaning 'naked' and 'karpos' meaning 'fruit'.

'gymnocarpy' entered botanical usage via New Latin/Neo-Latin formations (e.g. 'gymnocarpos'/'gymnocarpia') and was adopted into English botanical literature in the 19th century to describe plants with exposed carpels or seeds.

Initially it literally meant 'naked fruit' in the sense of exposed carpels; over time it has been used more broadly in botany to denote the condition or trait of producing exposed seeds/fruits (as opposed to enclosed by an ovary).