Late 16th century; earliest use found in Henry Billingsley (d. 1606), merchant and translator. In sense 1 from post-classical Latin rhomboides from Hellenistic Greek ῥομβοειδές (in ῥομβοειδές σχῆμα rhomboid, i.e. a four-sided figure with only the opposite sides and angles equal (Euclid)), neuter of ancient Greek ῥομβοειδής rhombus-shaped, rhomboidal from ῥόμβος rhombus + -οειδής -oid.