'obtuse-fruited' is a compound of English 'obtuse' and 'fruited'. 'obtuse' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'obtusus', where 'obtusus' meant 'blunted, dull'. 'fruit' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'fructus', where 'fructus' meant 'enjoyment, produce, fruit'.

'obtuse' passed into English via Late Latin/Old French (Latin 'obtusus' → Old French/Middle English forms → modern English 'obtuse'). 'fruit' passed from Latin 'fructus' into Old French 'fruit' and then Middle English 'fruit'; the adjectival form 'fruited' is formed by adding the participial/derivational suffix '-ed' to 'fruit'. The compound 'obtuse-fruited' is a modern descriptive formation used in botanical contexts.

Initially, 'obtusus' referred to something blunted or dulled and 'fructus' to produce or fruit; combined as 'obtuse-fruited' the phrase originally meant 'bearing blunt (rounded) fruit' and this core descriptive meaning has remained stable in botanical usage.