'African-esque' originates from the word 'African,' which refers to anything related to the continent of Africa, combined with the suffix '-esque,' which means 'in the style of' or 'resembling.'

'African' comes from the Latin word 'Africa,' which was used to describe the northern part of the continent. The suffix '-esque' is derived from the Italian '-esco,' meaning 'in the manner of.'

Initially, 'African' referred specifically to the people and cultures of Africa, but with the addition of '-esque,' it evolved to describe things that resemble or are inspired by African culture.