the compound adjective 'stiff-legged' is a transparent formation from native germanic elements. 'stiff' originates from proto-germanic stīfaz, conveying the sense of rigid or unbending, a concept retained throughout its history into modern english. 'leg' entered english from old norse, replacing the old english term sceanca, and refers to the limb used for support and locomotion. the suffix '-ed' is an ancient adjectival formative, attaching to nouns to create descriptors meaning 'possessing or characterized by' the noun. thus, the literal construction 'having stiff legs' directly and logically yields the modern meaning describing a rigid, unbent, or inflexible posture or gait of the legs.

Structure: stiff (rigid) + leg (limb) + ed (having the quality of) - stiff: from old english stīf meaning rigid, firm. functions as an adjective modifying the noun. - leg: from old norse leggr meaning limb. functions as the core noun. - ed: from old english -ede, a suffix forming adjectives from nouns, meaning 'having, provided with'.