'strabismus' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'strabismos', where 'strab-' (from 'strabos') meant 'squinting'.

'strabismus' passed into Late Latin/Medieval Latin as 'strabismus' and was borrowed into English from those forms, eventually becoming the modern English word 'strabismus'.

Initially, it meant 'a squint or squinting', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'misalignment of the eyes (one or both) when focusing on an object'.