'non-electronic' originates from two elements: the prefix 'non' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') and 'electronic' (from Modern English 'electronic', derived from 'electron').

'electron' comes from Greek 'ēlektron' meaning 'amber'; the term was adopted into Modern scientific English in the 19th century to name the charged particle and then formed the adjective 'electronic' in the 20th century; combining with the negative prefix 'non-' produced 'non-electronic' as a descriptive compound in modern English.

Initially, the root 'ēlektron' referred to 'amber'; through scientific usage it came to signify electric phenomena and then devices using electronics; 'non-electronic' therefore evolved as a modern compound meaning 'not related to or using electronic technology'.