formerly also enveigle, etc., late 15c., "to blind (someone's) judgment," apparently an alteration of Middle French aveugler "delude, make blind," from Vulgar Latin *aboculus "without sight, blind," from Latin ab- "off, away from" (see ab-) + oculus "eye" (from PIE root *okw- "to see"). The Latin word is a loan-translation of Greek ap ommaton "without eyes." Meaning "to win over by deceit, seduce" is 1530s. Related: Inveigler; inveiglment.