'rhino-esque' originates as a blend of the prefix 'rhino-' (short for 'rhinoceros'), ultimately from Greek 'rhin-' / 'rhinos' meaning 'nose', and the adjectival suffix '-esque', borrowed into English from French '-esque' (via Italian '-esco').

'rhinoceros' comes from Greek 'rhinokerōs' (rhino- 'nose' + kerōs 'horn'), passed into Latin and then English; the suffix '-esque' entered English from French (and Italian) and has been used productively in modern English to form adjectives meaning 'in the style of' (e.g., 'Kafkaesque'), leading to coinages like 'rhino-esque'.

The suffix '-esque' originally meant 'in the style of' or 'resembling'; combined with 'rhino-' it came to mean 'resembling a rhinoceros' — either literally (appearance) or figuratively (manner, temperament).