'flower-head-like' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the words 'flower' + 'head' + the adjectival suffix '-like', where 'flower' meant 'blossom', 'head' meant 'top' or 'head', and '-like' meant 'similar to'.

'flower' comes from Old English (e.g. 'flor'/'flōwer') ultimately related to Proto-Germanic and Latin 'flos/flower' roots; 'head' comes from Old English 'heafod' (Proto-Germanic *haubudam); the suffix '-like' comes from Old English '-līc' (from Proto-Germanic *likaz) meaning 'body' or 'form', later developing the comparative sense 'similar to'. These elements combined in Modern English to form descriptive compounds like 'flower-head-like'.

Each element originally referred to concrete things ('flower' = blossom, 'head' = top or rounded head, '-like' = having the form of). Over time they combined productively in Modern English to yield the compound adjective meaning 'resembling a flower head'.