'producer' originates from English, formed from the verb 'produce' plus the agent suffix '-er'. 'produce' ultimately comes from Latin 'producere', where 'pro-' meant 'forward' and 'ducere' meant 'to lead'.

'produce' passed into English via Old French 'produire' and Middle English forms (e.g. 'producen'); the agent noun 'producer' developed in English by adding '-er' to the verb.

Initially the Latin root 'producere' meant 'to lead or bring forth', and over time English 'produce' and 'producer' came to mean 'to make or create (goods, crops, works)' and 'one who makes or provides these', respectively.