'English-like' originates from English: 'English' (from Old English 'Englisc') combined with the adjective-forming suffix '-like' (from Old English '-lic', later Middle English '-lik/-like'), where 'Englisc' referred to the people called the Angles and '-lic' meant 'having the form or nature of'.

'English' comes from Old English 'Englisc' (from the name of the Angles) and developed into modern 'English'; the suffix '-like' evolved from Old English '-lic' (meaning 'body, form, nature') through Middle English '-lik/-like' to the modern productive suffix '-like', producing compounds such as 'English-like'.

Initially, 'Englisc' identified people or things of the Angles and '-lic' meant 'having the form of'; over time these combined to form compounds meaning 'resembling or characteristic of English', which is the current sense of 'English-like'.