'non-cyclonic' is formed from the English prefix 'non-' (a negation) combined with 'cyclonic', which derives from 'cyclone' ultimately from Greek 'kyklon' meaning 'circle'.

'cyclone' entered English in the mid-19th century from French 'cyclône', itself from Greek 'kyklōn' (a moving in a circle); 'cyclonic' developed as the adjective, and the productive English prefix 'non-' has been attached to form 'non-cyclonic'.

Originally 'cyclone' referred to a circular wind motion; over time 'cyclonic' came to mean 'relating to a cyclone', and 'non-cyclonic' now specifically denotes the absence of cyclonic characteristics or association with a cyclone.