'non-contact' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and the word 'contact' from Latin 'contactus', where 'con-' meant 'together' and 'tangere' meant 'to touch'.

'contactus' transformed into the Old French word 'contact', and eventually became the modern English word 'contact'. The prefix 'non-' was added to form 'non-contact'.

Initially, 'contact' meant 'to touch or meet', but 'non-contact' evolved to mean 'without physical touch'.