'pliable' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'pliable,' where 'pli-' meant 'to fold' and '-able' meant 'capable of.' 'Shelled' comes from Old English 'scell,' meaning 'shell.'

'pliable' changed from the Old French word 'pliable' and eventually became the modern English word 'pliable.' 'Shelled' evolved from the Old English 'scell' to the modern English 'shelled.'

Initially, 'pliable' meant 'capable of being folded,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage. 'Shelled' originally referred to having a shell, which remains consistent.