Early 17th century; earliest use found in John Bullokar (d. 1627), physician and lexicographer. From post-classical Latin ablepsia failure to see or notice something, oversight from Hellenistic Greek ἀβλεψία failure to see from ancient Greek ἀ- + Hellenistic Greek βλέψις sight (from ancient Greek βλέπειν to see, of uncertain origin + -σις) + ancient Greek -ία.