'non-amphibole-bearing' originates from Modern English, specifically the prefix 'non-' plus the noun 'amphibole' (from Greek 'amphíbolos') and the present participle 'bearing', where 'non-' meant 'not' and 'bearing' meant 'containing or possessing'.

'amphibole' changed from Greek 'amphíbolos' into Late Latin/Medieval Latin usage for the mineral and entered Modern English as 'amphibole'; 'bearing' comes from Old English 'beran' (to carry) and developed into the participial adjective 'bearing'; the compound 'amphibole-bearing' (meaning 'containing amphibole') later formed and took the prefix 'non-' to indicate absence, producing 'non-amphibole-bearing'.

Initially the components described 'containing amphibole' (as in 'amphibole-bearing'); with the addition of the prefix 'non-' the compound's meaning became 'not containing amphibole' and is used specifically in geological descriptions to denote absence of amphibole minerals.