'shale-like' originates from English, composed of the noun 'shale' and the suffix '-like', where '-like' meant 'resembling' or 'having the qualities of.'

'shale-like' formed in Modern English by adding the productive adjectival suffix '-like' to 'shale', a word that itself comes from Middle English 'shale' meaning a thin layer or husk, ultimately related to Proto-Germanic roots for shells and scales.

Initially, it meant 'resembling shale in appearance or nature,' and this meaning has remained stable in modern usage.