'protracted-fruiting' is a modern compound formed from the adjective 'protracted' and the gerund 'fruiting'. 'Protracted' originates from Latin 'protractus' (past participle of 'protrahere'), where 'pro-' meant 'forward' or 'forth' and 'trahere' meant 'to draw'. 'Fruiting' derives from the noun 'fruit', ultimately from Latin 'fructus' meaning 'enjoyment, produce'.

'Protracted' entered English via Latin 'protractus' through Old French/Medieval Latin and Middle English, while 'fruit' entered English via Old French 'fruit' from Latin 'fructus'. The hyphenated compound 'protracted-fruiting' is a modern English formation combining these two elements to describe an extended period of fruit production.

Initially, 'protracted' had the sense 'drawn out, prolonged' and 'fruiting' meant 'bearing fruit'; together the combined term has come to mean 'bearing fruit over a prolonged period' in current usage.