'light-absorptive' originates from Modern English, formed by combining 'light' and 'absorptive', where 'light' meant 'visible radiant energy' and 'absorptive' comes from Latin 'absorbere' meaning 'to suck in' or 'to draw in'.

'absorptive' derived from Latin 'absorbere' ('ab-' + 'sorbēre'), passed into Middle English via Old French and Late Latin forms (e.g. 'absorbere' → Medieval Latin 'absorpt-'), and combined with the noun 'light' in Modern English to form the compound 'light-absorptive'.

Initially, the root 'absorb' meant 'to suck in or take up' (physically). Over time this extended to describe material properties; 'absorptive' came to mean 'having the ability to absorb', and 'light-absorptive' specifically denotes absorbing visible radiation.