'noise-absorbing' is a compound formed from 'noise' and 'absorbing'. 'noise' originates from Old French 'noise' (meaning 'disturbance, quarrel') possibly via Latin 'nausea' (meaning 'seasickness, discomfort'), and 'absorbing' is the present participle of 'absorb', which originates from Latin 'absorbēre' where the prefix 'ab-' meant 'away from' and the root 'sorbere' (related to 'sorbere'/'sorbere') meant 'to suck in or sip'.

'noise' came into Middle English from Old French 'noise' and shifted in sense from 'disturbance' to include 'loud or troublesome sound'; 'absorb' came into English via Old French/Latin influence (Latin 'absorbēre' -> Old French/Medieval Latin forms -> Middle English 'absorben'), and the modern compound 'noise-absorbing' developed by combining the noun 'noise' with the present participle 'absorbing' to describe materials or devices that absorb sound.

Initially, the elements referred to 'disturbance' ('noise') and 'to take in' ('absorb'); over time combined usage came to mean specifically 'taking in or attenuating sound', i.e., 'reducing audible noise by absorbing it'.