The word 'toggle' first appeared in the mid-18th century as a nautical term for a pin passed through the eye of a rope to keep it in place. Its precise origin is obscure, but it is likely related to the English dialectal verb 'tog', meaning 'to pull' or 'to tug', which itself may be of Germanic origin. This connection suggests the original sense of a device that is pulled or secured. From its concrete, mechanical meaning of a fastening pin, the term evolved in the 20th century, particularly in computing, to describe the abstract action of switching between two states, mirroring the physical action of a toggle being flipped from one position to another.

The word 'toggle' is a simplex word of uncertain origin, likely from the English dialectal verb 'tog', meaning 'to pull' or 'to tug'. Its functional role is as a complete lexical unit.