'letter-like' originates from English, specifically by combining the noun 'letter' and the suffix '-like', where 'letter' ultimately comes from Latin 'littera' meaning 'letter or written character' and the suffix '-like' derives from Old English 'gelic' meaning 'having the nature of'.

'letter' passed from Latin 'littera' into Old French 'lettre' and Middle English 'letter'; the suffix '-like' developed from Old English 'gelic' into Middle English '-like'; these elements combined in Modern English to form the compound 'letter-like'.

Initially, 'littera' referred to a written character (and 'letter' later included both 'alphabetic character' and 'written message'), while '-like' indicated similarity; together the compound evolved to mean 'resembling a letter' in senses of either a written message or a character.