'resin-secreting' originates from Modern English, formed by combining the noun 'resin' and the present participle 'secreting' (from the verb 'secrete'). 'Resin' ultimately comes from Latin 'resina' meaning 'pine resin' or 'gum', and 'secrete' comes from Latin 'secretus', the past participle of 'secernere', where 'se-' meant 'apart' and 'cernere' meant 'to separate'.

'resin' passed into English via Old French 'resine' and Middle English as 'resin'; 'secrete' comes from Latin 'secretus' through Old French/late Latin forms into Middle English 'secreten' and modern 'secrete'. The compound form 'resin-secreting' is a modern English formation combining the two elements.

Individually, 'resin' originally referred specifically to plant gum or pitch; 'secrete' originally meant 'to separate or set apart' (and later 'to discharge a substance'). Combined, the modern compound specifically means 'producing or discharging resin'.