'hornblende-bearing' is formed in English from 'hornblende' + the combining suffix '-bearing', where 'hornblende' ultimately comes from German 'Hornblende' (from 'Horn' meaning 'horn' and 'blende' meaning 'deceiver' as used in mineral names) and '-bearing' derives from Old English 'beran' meaning 'to carry/contain'.

'hornblende' was borrowed into English from German 'Hornblende' in the 18th–19th century; it was later combined with the English suffix '-bearing' to create the compound adjective 'hornblende-bearing' used in geological descriptions.

Initially, 'hornblende' named a specific dark amphibole mineral; over time the compound 'hornblende-bearing' came to be used as a straightforward descriptive adjective meaning 'containing hornblende' in petrology and geology.