Mid 19th century: via modern Latin from Greek aknas, a misreading of akmas, accusative plural of akmē 'highest point, peak, or facial eruption'; compare with acme.

• acme from late 16th century:

  In Greek akmē meant ‘point’ or ‘pinnacle, highest point’. Its use in English dates from the late 15th century, although for the next hundred years or so it was consciously used as a Greek word and written in Greek letters. For many people their first exposure to the word comes from the ‘Looney Tunes’ cartoons featuring the Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote, where the characters buy products from the Acme company. ‘Acme’ was a real brand name for various US firms in the last two decades of the 19th century, chosen in part because the word comes near the top of any alphabetical list of suppliers. Acne (mid 19th century) the skin condition, has a similar root. The idea is that all those red pimples are little points sticking up from someone's face.