'sapwood-like' originates from the English word 'sapwood,' where 'sap' refers to the fluid that circulates in the vascular system of a plant, and 'wood' refers to the fibrous material forming the trunk and branches of a tree.

'sapwood' combined with the suffix '-like' to form 'sapwood-like,' indicating resemblance to sapwood.

Initially, it meant 'resembling the outer layers of a tree,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.