'spore-producing' originates from the combination of 'spore' and 'produce,' where 'spore' refers to a reproductive unit capable of developing into a new individual without sexual fusion, and 'produce' means to bring forth or yield.

The term 'spore' comes from the Greek word 'spora,' meaning 'seed' or 'sowing,' while 'produce' is derived from the Latin 'producere,' meaning 'to bring forth.'

Initially, 'spore-producing' referred specifically to the biological process of spore formation, and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.