The compound adjective 'wild-looking' is a transparent formation from two native English elements. The first element, 'wild', descends from the Proto-Germanic wilþijaz, carrying the core sense of being in a natural, undomesticated state, which starkly contrasts the cultivated and controlled human environment. The second element, 'looking', originates from the Old English verb lōcian, meaning to see or gaze, and in this context, it acts as a suffix to create a descriptive term meaning "appearing in a certain way". When combined, the literal meaning "appearing untamed" logically extends to describe anything or anyone whose visual aspect suggests ferocity, lack of restraint, or striking unconventionality, effectively projecting the inner quality of 'wildness' onto the external perception.

Structure: wild (untamed) + looking (appearing) - wild: From Old English wilde (in a natural state, untamed, uncultivated). Germanic origin. - looking: From the present participle of the verb look, from Old English lōcian (to see, gaze). Germanic origin. In this compound, it functions as an adjective-forming element meaning "having the appearance of".