'astigmatic' originates from New Latin 'astigmaticus', ultimately from Greek, specifically the word 'astigmatismos', where 'a-' meant 'not' and 'stigma' meant 'point'.

'astigmatic' changed from the New Latin word 'astigmaticus' (from Greek 'astigmatismos') and eventually became the modern English word 'astigmatic'.

Initially, it referred to the optical condition of 'not forming a point' (a failure of refracted rays to meet at a single focal point); over time it has remained primarily a clinical term meaning 'relating to or affected by astigmatism', with occasional figurative uses.