short-tailed

The compound adjective "short-tailed" is a transparent formation from native English elements. The first element, "short," descends from the Proto-Germanic skurtaz, which already carried the sense of being not long or deficient in length. The second element, "tail," originates from the Proto-Germanic taglaz, referring specifically to a hair or a tail. The suffix "-ed," used to form participial adjectives, is of ancient Germanic origin. The logic of the word is entirely literal and descriptive, combining these elements to denote the possession of a tail that is notably brief, a straightforward method of creating descriptive terms in English that remains highly productive.

Structure: short (brief) + tail (posterior appendage) + ed (having) - short: From Old English sceort, meaning "not long, brief." It functions as an adjective describing limited length. - tail: From Old English tægl, meaning "tail." It functions as a noun denoting the posterior appendage of an animal. - ed: A suffix from Old English -ede, used to form adjectives meaning "having, provided with."