'non-documentary' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and the word 'documentary,' which comes from the Latin 'documentum,' meaning 'lesson or example.'

'documentum' transformed into the English word 'documentary,' and the prefix 'non-' was added to form 'non-documentary.'

Initially, 'documentary' meant 'a lesson or example,' but over time it evolved to mean 'a factual film or broadcast.' Adding 'non-' indicates the absence of this factual basis.