'non-clerical' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and 'clerical' from the Latin 'clericus' meaning 'clerk' or 'priest'.

'clericus' transformed into the Old French 'clerc', and eventually became the modern English word 'clerk', with 'non-' added to denote the opposite.

Initially, 'clerical' referred to religious duties, but over time it evolved to include office work, with 'non-clerical' denoting the absence of such duties.