'non-glucose-like' is a modern English compound formed from the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non' meaning 'not'), the word 'glucose' (from French 'glucose' via Greek 'glykys' meaning 'sweet'), and the adjective-forming suffix '-like' (from Old English 'līc' meaning 'body' or 'like').

'glucose' entered English from French 'glucose', ultimately from Greek 'glykys'; the negative prefix 'non-' comes from Latin 'non'; the suffix '-like' developed from Old English 'līc'. These elements combined in Modern English to form the descriptive compound 'non-glucose-like'.

Individually the parts originally meant 'not' (non-), 'sweet' (glucose/glykys), and 'like' (-like); together in modern usage they came to mean specifically 'not resembling glucose' in structure or properties.