'spore-bearing' originates from the combination of 'spore' and 'bearing', where 'spore' refers to a reproductive cell capable of developing into a new individual without fusion with another cell, and 'bearing' means 'carrying' or 'producing'.

'spore' comes from the Greek word 'spora', meaning 'seed' or 'sowing', and 'bearing' is derived from the Old English 'beran', meaning 'to carry'.

Initially, 'spore-bearing' meant 'carrying spores', and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.