Late 16th century; earliest use found in Henry Billingsley (d. 1606), merchant and translator. From Hellenistic Greek παραλληλεπίπεδον solid figure with parallel surfaces (Euclid) from ancient Greek παράλληλος + ἐπίπεδον plane, surface, use as noun of neuter singular of ἐπίπεδος plane, flat.