Where does “spermlike” come from?

spermlike (English) comes from English like, from Dutch luik, from Middle Dutch luke, from Dutch luiken, from Middle Dutch luken, from Old Dutch lūcan, from Proto-West Germanic lūkan, from Proto-Germanic lūkaną — to break, tear; to break, shatter.

spermlike (English): Resembling sperm or an individual sperm

Definitions

  1. Resembling sperm or an individual sperm

Ancestry of “spermlike”, step by step

spermlike traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English like

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlikeTo enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of;...
2Dutchluikhatch; shutter; panel, as in a triptych
3Middle Dutchluke
4Dutchluikento close, to shut
5Middle Dutchlukento close, to shut; to close, to become closed
6Old Dutchlūcanto close, shut
7Proto-West Germaniclūkanto close, to shut
8Proto-Germaniclūkanąto close, to shut; Alternative form of *leukaną
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlewǵ-to break, tear; to break, shatter

via English sperm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishspermThe reproductive cell or gamete of the male; a...
2Middle Englishsperme
3Latinspermaseed, semen, sperm
4Ancient Greekσπέρμαseed; semen, sperm; seed-time, sowing
5Proto-Hellenic*spérmə
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewǵ-