'pointy' originates from English, formed from 'point' + the adjectival suffix '-y'. 'point' comes from Old French 'point', ultimately from Latin 'punctum', where the root verb 'pungere' meant 'to prick'.

'point' changed from Latin 'punctum' to Old French 'point' and entered Middle English as 'point'; the modern English adjective 'pointy' was formed by adding the productive suffix '-y' to mean 'having a point'.

Initially 'punctum' referred to 'a prick' or 'a small spot', which developed into 'point' meaning 'a sharp tip or projected end'; 'pointy' later evolved to mean 'having such a tip' (i.e., 'having a sharp point').