Mid 16th century; earliest use found in Richard Sherry (b. c1505), schoolmaster and author. From post-classical Latin dialyton asyndeton (from 3rd cent. in grammarians) from Hellenistic Greek διάλυτον, neuter of διάλυτος relaxed, capable of dissolution, capable of being taken to pieces from ancient Greek διαλύειν + -τος, suffix forming verbal adjectives.