'noncombatant' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and the word 'combatant,' which comes from the Latin 'combattantem,' meaning 'to fight.'

'noncombatant' evolved from the French word 'non-combattant,' which was adopted into English in the 17th century.

Initially, it meant 'not engaged in combat,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.