'non-conformist' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and the word 'conformist,' which comes from the Latin 'conformare,' meaning 'to form or shape.'

'conformare' transformed into the English word 'conformist,' and with the addition of 'non-' became 'non-conformist.'

Initially, it meant 'not conforming to established norms,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.