'moisture-absorbing' originates from the combination of 'moisture' and 'absorbing', where 'moisture' refers to 'water or other liquid diffused in a small quantity as vapor' and 'absorbing' means 'taking in or soaking up'.

'Moisture' comes from the Latin word 'mōistūra', and 'absorbing' is derived from the Latin 'absorbere', meaning 'to suck in'.

Initially, 'moisture-absorbing' meant 'capable of taking in moisture', and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.