'crooked-jawed' originates from Modern English, formed as a compound of 'crooked' + 'jawed' (literally 'having a crooked jaw').

'crooked' comes via Old English and Middle English from words related to 'crook' (Old Norse 'krókr' / Old English forms meaning 'hook, bent'); 'jaw' is from Old English (and earlier Germanic) words for the mouth/jaw and developed into Modern English 'jaw'. The compound 'crooked-jawed' is a relatively recent descriptive formation in Modern English.

Initially, the elements meant 'bent/hooked' (for 'crooked') and 'jaw/bone of the mouth' (for 'jaw'); over time, the compound came to be used specifically to describe a jaw that is deformed, uneven, or misaligned.