'non-estrogenic' originates from modern English formation combining the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non' meaning 'not') with 'estrogenic.' 'Estrogenic' comes from 'estrogen' plus the adjectival suffix '-ic', where 'estrogen' was coined in the early 20th century from Greek 'oistros' and the combining element '-gen' meaning 'producer'.

'estrogen' was formed in New Latin/modern scientific English (early 20th century) from Greek 'oistros' (via forms like 'oestrogen' in British English); adding the suffix '-ic' produced 'estrogenic', and the negative prefix 'non-' was later attached to form 'non-estrogenic' in contemporary usage.

Initially, terms derived from 'oistros' referred specifically to substances causing estrus or sexual excitement; over time 'estrogen' came to denote the class of hormones with broader physiological roles, and 'non-estrogenic' came to mean the absence of estrogen-like activity in that modern hormonal sense.