'pointy-toed' originates from Modern English as a compound of 'pointy' and 'toed'. 'Pointy' comes from 'point' + adjectival suffix '-y', where 'point' ultimately traces to Old French 'point' (from Latin 'punctum'); 'toed' is formed from 'toe' with the adjectival/participial suffix '-ed'.

'point' comes via Old French 'point' from Latin 'punctum' (from the verb 'pungere' meaning 'to prick'); 'point' developed the adjective 'pointy' by adding the productive English suffix '-y'. 'Toe' comes from Old English 'tā', which became Modern English 'toe'; adding '-ed' produced the adjective-forming element seen in 'toed' (as in 'pointed-toed' constructions), leading to the compound 'pointy-toed' in recent English usage.

Initially elements referred simply to 'a point' and the body part 'toe'; over time the compound came to specifically describe footwear or toes shaped to a point — i.e., 'having pointed toes' or 'designed with pointed toes'.