'animal-shaped' originates from Modern English, specifically by combining 'animal' and 'shaped', where 'animal' comes from Latin 'animalis' meaning 'having breath' and 'shape' derives from Old English 'sceapen' meaning 'form'.

'animal' entered English via Old French 'animal' from Latin 'animalis'; 'shape' evolved from Old English 'sceapen' to Middle English 'shape', and the compound 'animal-shaped' was formed in Modern English by combining these elements.

Initially, 'animal' meant 'a living creature' and 'shape' meant 'form'; combined they originally described the form of an animal and have retained the sense 'having the form of an animal'.