'character-like' originates from English, formed by attaching the English suffix '-like' to the noun 'character,' where '-like' meant 'resembling' and 'character' ultimately meant 'engraved mark; distinctive mark; person in a story.'

'Character' entered Middle English from Old French 'caractere' (Modern French 'caractère'), from Latin 'character,' from Ancient Greek 'kharaktēr' meaning 'engraved mark, stamp.' The suffix '-like' descends from Old English '-līc' (modern '-like'), meaning 'having the form or nature of.' These elements combined in modern English to create 'character-like.'

Initially, '-like' conveyed the sense of resemblance, and when combined with 'character' it meant 'resembling a character.' This sense has remained stable, expanding to cover both fictional-person sense and typographic-symbol sense.