'non-academic' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and the word 'academic' from Latin 'academicus', which relates to a school or scholarly environment.

'non-academic' evolved from the combination of 'non-' and 'academic' to describe activities or skills outside the traditional educational framework.

Initially, it meant 'not related to scholarly activities,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.