'woodlike' originates from Old English, specifically the words 'wudu' (for 'wood') and the suffix 'līc' (which gave Modern English '-like'), where 'wudu' meant 'wood, forest' and 'līc' meant 'having the form of'.

'wood' came from Old English 'wudu' and combined with the Old English/Old Norse-derived suffix 'līc' which in Middle English became the productive suffix '-like', eventually forming the Modern English compound 'woodlike'.

Initially it meant 'having the form or qualities of wood', and over time this literal sense has been retained with little change; it is still used to describe appearance or texture resembling wood.