'short-podded' originates from Modern English, formed by combining 'short' (Old English 'sceort') and 'pod' (Old English 'podd'/'podda') with the adjectival/past-participial suffix '-ed', indicating 'having' or 'characterized by'.

'short' comes from Old English 'sceort' meaning 'short'; 'pod' comes from Old English 'podd'/'podda' meaning 'seed vessel' or 'pod'; the suffix '-ed' has been used since Old English to form adjectives or past participles. These elements were compounded in later English to produce the descriptive compound adjective 'short-podded'.

Initially the elements referred separately to 'short' and to a 'pod'; over time they combined into the specialized descriptive term meaning 'having short pods' used in botanical/horticultural contexts.