'nonarthropodan' originates from English, specifically formed from the negative prefix 'non-' plus 'arthropodan' (ultimately from Greek roots), where 'non-' meant 'not', 'arthron' meant 'joint', and 'pous/pod' meant 'foot'.

'nonarthropodan' changed from earlier scientific usage that combined 'non-' with 'arthropod' or 'arthropodan' as a descriptive formation in taxonomy and comparative anatomy, and eventually became the modern English technical formation 'nonarthropodan'.

Initially it was coined simply to indicate 'not an arthropod'; over time it has remained a technical descriptor used in biology to denote organisms or traits that are not characteristic of Arthropoda.