'non-clinical' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and 'clinical' from the Greek 'klinein' meaning 'to lean' or 'bed', referring to the practice of medicine at the bedside.

'Clinical' evolved from the Greek 'klinein' to the Latin 'clinicus', and eventually into the modern English 'clinical'. The prefix 'non-' was added to denote the absence of clinical characteristics.

Initially, 'clinical' referred to anything related to the bedside treatment of patients, but 'non-clinical' evolved to describe aspects not involving direct patient care.