'aged-looking' originates from modern English, specifically the words 'aged' and 'looking', where 'aged' is the past-participle/adjectival form related to 'age' and 'looking' derives from the verb 'look' meaning 'to have appearance'.

'aged' developed from Old French (for example 'agé' or Middle French forms) derived from Latin 'aetas'/'aetatis' (meaning 'age'), while 'look' comes from Old English 'lōcian' and Middle English 'loken'; these elements combined in modern English as the compound adjective 'aged-looking'.

Initially related to having attained age or being of a certain age, the sense shifted in compounds to emphasize appearance; now 'aged-looking' specifically means 'appearing old' rather than simply 'old in years'.