'astigmatometry' originates from Greek and New Latin roots, specifically the Greek prefix 'a-' meaning 'not', the Greek 'stigma' meaning 'point', and the Greek 'metron' meaning 'measure'.

'astigmatometry' developed in English from the noun 'astigmatism' (coined in the 19th century from Greek elements) combined with the suffix '-metry' (via New Latin '-metria'), producing a technical term meaning the measurement of astigmatism.

Initially the components conveyed the idea of 'measurement related to absence of a single point (image)', but over time the term came to mean specifically 'measurement of astigmatism' — quantifying the eye's irregular curvature.