old-looking

The compound adjective "old-looking" is a transparent formation from two native English elements. The first element, "old," descends from the Proto-Germanic aldaz, itself from the Proto-Indo-European root h₂el- meaning "to grow, nourish," which underpins the concept of maturity and age. The second element, "looking," derives from the verb "look," originating from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to see." When combined in Modern English, these morphemes follow a straightforward descriptive logic: "appearing as if old." This pattern is productive in English, creating adjectives that directly describe visual characteristics, such as "good-looking" or "strange-looking."

Structure: old (aged) + looking (appearing) - old: From Old English eald, meaning "aged, ancient, mature." It functions as the core adjective describing the quality of age. - looking: From the present participle of the verb look, from Old English lōcian meaning "to see, gaze." In this compound, it functions as a combining form meaning "having the appearance of."