Meaning of STRABISMUS

Some questions have been raised as to the meaning of the word strabismus. It has been observed that this word means 'squint.' It has then been suggested that the word squint is to be understood as wat one does with one's eyes in the bright light, one squeeses them half-shut. And so, the arguement runs, strabismus has nothing to do with having crossed-eyes and everything to do with having one's eyes half open.

Let's see what the HyperDictionary can tell us.


From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]

Squint \Squint\, v. t.
1. To turn to an oblique position; to direct obliquely; as,
to squint an eye.

2. To cause to look with noncoincident optic axes.

He . . . squints the eye, and makes the harelid.
--Shak.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]

Squint \Squint\, n.
1. The act or habit of squinting.

2. (Med.) A want of coincidence of the axes of the eyes;
strabismus.

3. (Arch.) Same as {Hagioscope}.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]

Squint \Squint\, a. [Cf. D. schuinte a slope, schuin,
schuinisch, sloping, oblique, schuins slopingly. Cf.
{Askant}, {Askance}, {Asquint}.]
1. Looking obliquely. Specifically (Med.), not having the
optic axes coincident; -- said of the eyes. See {Squint},
n., 2.

2. Fig.: Looking askance. ``Squint suspicion.'' --Milton.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]

Squint \Squint\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Squinted}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Squinting}.]
1. To see or look obliquely, asquint, or awry, or with a
furtive glance.

Some can squint when they will. --Bacon.

2. (Med.) To have the axes of the eyes not coincident; -- to
be cross-eyed.

3. To deviate from a true line; to run obliquely.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 [wn]

squint
adj : (used especially of glances) directed to one side with or as
if with doubt or suspicion or envy; "her eyes with
their misted askance look"- Elizabeth Bowen; "sidelong
glances" [syn: {askance}, {askant}, {asquint}, {squint-eyed},
{squinty}, {sidelong}]
n : abnormal alignment of one or both eyes [syn: {strabismus}]
v 1: partly close one's eyes; "The children squinted to frighten
each other" [syn: {squinch}, {cross one's eyes}]
2: be cross-eyed; have a squint or strabismus

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

strabismus

SYLLABICATION: stra·bis·mus
PRONUNCIATION: str-bzms
NOUN: A visual defect in which one eye cannot focus with the other on an object because of imbalance of the eye muscles. Also called squint.
ETYMOLOGY: New Latin, from Greek strabismos, condition of squinting, from strabizein, to squint, from strabos, squinting. See streb(h)- in Appendix I.
OTHER FORMS: stra·bismal (-ml) , stra·bismic (-mk) -ADJECTIVE

ENTRY: streb(h)-
DEFINITION: To wind, turn. European root. 1. strepto-, strop, strophe, strophoid, strophulus; anastrophe, apostrophe, oustrophedon, catastrophe, diastrophism, from Greek strephein, to wind, turn, twist, with o-grade derivatives stroph, a turning, and strophion, headband. 2. Unaspirated o-grade form *strob-. strobilus; stroboscope, from Greek strobos, a whirling, whirlwind. 3. Unaspirated zero-grade form *stb-. strabismus, strabotomy, from Greek strabos, squinting. (In Pokorny 1. (s)ter- 1022.)