Early 17th century; earliest use found in Philemon Holland (1552–1637), translator. From classical Latin absinthītēs, variant of apsinthītēs, and its etymon Hellenistic Greek ἀψινθίτης wine flavoured with wormwood, use as noun (short for ἀψινθίτης οἷνος) of ἀψινθίτης flavoured with wormwood from ἀψίνθιον + -ίτης.