Origin:
Late 16th century; earliest use found in John Banister (1532/3–?1610), surgeon. From classical Latin aegilops ulcer in the eye, lacrimal fistula, species of oak tree, species of grass from Hellenistic Greek αἰγίλωψ ulcer in the eye, lacrimal fistula, species of oak tree, species of grass, of uncertain origin, perhaps two (or three) separate words.