'tissue-like' is a modern English compound formed from the noun 'tissue' + the suffix '-like', where 'tissue' comes from Old French 'tissu' (originally meaning 'woven') and the suffix '-like' means 'having the form or nature of'.

'tissue' developed from Old French 'tissu' (past participle of 'tisser', to weave), which ultimately traces to Latin 'texere' meaning 'to weave'. The suffix '-like' comes from Old English 'lic' (modern 'like'), from Proto-Germanic *likaz meaning 'having the form of'. The compound 'tissue-like' arose in modern English to describe things resembling biological tissue.

Originally 'tissue' referred to woven cloth ('woven'), later extended in biology to mean bodily 'tissue' (groups of cells), and the compound 'tissue-like' evolved to mean 'resembling tissue' in structure or appearance.