'estrogen-mimicking' originates in modern English as a compound of 'estrogen' + the present participle 'mimicking' from 'mimic'. 'Estrogen' (also spelled 'oestrogen') was coined in the early 20th century from New Latin/modern formation 'oestr-', from Greek 'oistros' meaning 'frenzy, sexual urge', plus the suffix '-gen' meaning 'producing'. 'Mimic' comes from Greek 'mimos' meaning 'imitator' via Latin and Old French.

'estrogen' was formed in scientific New Latin in the early 1900s (originally as 'oestrin'/'oestrogen' in some British sources) and became the standard name for the hormone family; 'mimic' passed from Greek 'mimos' into Latin 'mimus', Old French, and Middle English before developing the modern verb 'to mimic'. The compound 'estrogen-mimicking' is a descriptive, modern English formation using established scientific and English elements.

Initially the parts meant 'a substance producing estrus' (for 'estrogen') and 'to imitate' (for 'mimic'); combined in modern usage the compound has come to mean 'a substance or agent that imitates or produces effects similar to estrogen' rather than producing estrogen itself.