An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

A straight line which is approached, but never reached, by an infinite branch of a curve, and which can be regarded as a line tangent to the curve at infinity.

Gk. asymptotos "not falling together," from → a- "not" + → syn "with" + ptotos "fallen," verbal adj. from piptein "to fall".

Nâhamsâv, literally "not touching each other," from nâ- "not" + ham "with" (akin to Gk. syn-) + sâv, agent noun of sâvidan "to touch."