'humanlike' originates from English, specifically the word 'human' (ultimately from Latin 'humanus') combined with the suffix '-like', where 'human' meant 'human, of man' and '-like' (from Old English 'líc') meant 'having the form or appearance of'.

'human' entered English via Old French 'humain' from Latin 'humanus', and the suffix '-like' derives from Old English 'líc' which passed into Middle English as '-like'; these elements eventually combined to form the modern English compound 'humanlike'.

Initially, the parts meant 'human' and 'having the form of'; over time they combined into 'humanlike', whose current meaning is 'resembling or characteristic of a human'.