'non-anthraciferous' originates from English combining the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non' meaning 'not') with 'anthraciferous', where 'anthraci-' ultimately comes from Greek 'ἄνθραξ' ('anthrax') meaning 'coal' and '-ferous' comes from Latin 'ferre' meaning 'to bear'.

'anthraciferous' was formed in English from elements ultimately traceable to Greek 'ἄνθραξ' -> Latin/Medieval Latin elements 'anthraci-' and Latin suffix '-ferous', producing 'anthraciferous' in scientific/technical usage; the modern compound 'non-anthraciferous' is formed by prefixing English 'non-' to that adjective.

Originally the root combination meant 'bearing coal' (i.e. 'anthraciferous'); with the prefix 'non-' it now denotes 'not bearing coal', so the element meaning shifted by negation rather than semantic drift of the root.