'anthropoidal' originates from Greek, specifically from 'ánthrōpos' meaning 'human' and the suffix '-oeidēs' meaning 'like' (via the combining form that produced 'anthropoid'), with the English adjectival suffix '-al' added to form 'anthropoidal'.

'anthropoidal' developed from the Greek compound 'anthrōpoeidēs' → Latin/Medieval usage as 'anthropoides' → French/Modern Latin forms and English 'anthropoid' (late 18th–19th c.), then into English adjective form 'anthropoidal' by adding '-al'.

Initially it meant 'having the form or likeness of a human' and this core sense has persisted; usage broadened to include resemblance to anthropoids (apes/early primates) as well as humanlike characteristics more generally.