'short-muzzled' originates from Modern English, formed by compounding 'short' (originating from Old English 'sceort', where 'sceort' meant 'short') and 'muzzle' (originating from Middle English from Old French 'musel'/'museau', where that form meant 'snout' or 'mouth'), with the adjectival suffix '-ed' indicating 'having' or 'characterized by'.

'short' comes from Old English 'sceort'; 'muzzle' developed from Old French 'musel'/'museau' into Middle English 'musel' and later Modern English 'muzzle'; the compound 'short-muzzled' arose in Modern English by combining these elements.

Initially it meant 'having a short snout or muzzle', and this basic descriptive meaning has remained largely unchanged in modern usage.