The origin of 'stymie' is uncertain, though it first appeared in Scots English in the mid-1800s as a golf term. It likely derives from a Scottish alteration of the earlier term 'stymie,' meaning a person with poor eyesight, which itself may come from Dutch 'stuitem' (to stumble) or be related to 'stime' (a glimpse). The logic of its evolution is clear: from the literal obstruction of one's sight or path, it was adopted into the specific rules of golf, and then generalized into broader English to describe any frustrating situation where progress is blocked by an obstacle.

The word 'stymied' is a simplex form. It originated as a golfing term in the late 19th century, referring to a situation where an opponent's ball blocks one's own ball on the putting green. Its exact etymology is obscure but it is not productively formed from separable English or classical morphemes.