'aloe-esque' originates from Modern English, formed by combining 'aloe' (from Latin 'aloë', ultimately from Greek 'alōē') with the adjectival suffix '-esque' (from French/Italian), where '-esque' meant 'in the style of' or 'resembling'.

'aloe' passed into English via Latin 'aloë' from Greek 'alōē' (and likely from Semitic sources), while the suffix '-esque' comes from French 'esque' and Italian '-esco' (from Late Latin '-iscus'); these elements were joined in Modern English to coin descriptive adjectives such as 'aloe-esque'.

Initially the root referred to the plant 'aloe'; the suffix '-esque' later came to form adjectives meaning 'in the manner of' or 'resembling', so the combined form evolved to mean 'resembling or characteristic of aloe'.