'X-shaped' originates from English, specifically a compound of the letter name 'X' (the name of the 24th letter) and the formative suffix '-shaped', where 'X' referred to the letter and '-shaped' meant 'having the form of'.

'X' (the letter name) comes into English via Latin 'X' (pronounced /eks/), ultimately from Greek 'χ' (chi) and earlier Semitic forms; the element '-shaped' derives from Old English 'gesceap'/'sceap' (related to 'shape') meaning 'form' or 'creation', evolving into Modern English 'shape' and the productive combining suffix '-shaped' (e.g., 'heart-shaped', 'arrow-shaped'). The modern compound 'X-shaped' arose by combining these elements in English to describe something in the form of the letter X.

Initially, 'X' referred simply to the letter name and '-shaped' indicated form; over time their combination came to be used adjectivally to describe objects or arrangements that take the specific outline or crossing pattern of an X.