'prickly-footed' originates from the combination of 'prickly,' meaning 'having small, sharp points,' and 'footed,' referring to the feet.

The term 'prickly' comes from Middle English 'prikly,' derived from 'prikke,' meaning 'point' or 'sharp object.' 'Footed' is derived from Old English 'fōt,' meaning 'foot.'

Initially, 'prickly' referred to objects with sharp points, but in combination with 'footed,' it evolved to describe sensitivity in the feet.