'arthropod-like' originates from English, specifically the word 'arthropod' + suffix '-like', where 'arthropod' originates from Greek, specifically 'arthron' and 'pous', where 'arthron' meant 'joint' and 'pous' meant 'foot', and the suffix '-like' meant 'having the form of'.

'arthropod' changed from New Latin 'Arthropoda' (coined in the 19th century from Greek roots) and entered English as 'arthropod'; the adjectival suffix '-like' developed from Old English/Germanic 'lic' and later formed compounds such as 'arthropod-like' in modern English.

Initially the Greek roots referred specifically to 'jointed foot' (describing the morphological feature); over time 'arthropod' came to name the taxonomic group, and 'arthropod-like' evolved to mean more generally 'resembling or characteristic of arthropods' in appearance or structure.