'astigmat' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'astigmatos', where the prefix 'a-' meant 'not' and 'stigma' meant 'a point (mark)'.

'astigmat' changed from Neo-Latin 'astigmatismus' and passed into scientific usage in several European languages (e.g. German 'Astigmat') before becoming the English term 'astigmat'.

Initially it referred to the optical idea of 'without a point' (i.e. lacking a single focal point); over time it came to be used as a noun meaning 'a person who has astigmatism'.