'non-glucose' is a modern compound formed from the negative prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') and 'glucose' (the chemical name). 'Glucose' itself ultimately traces to Greek 'glykys' meaning 'sweet' with the chemical suffix '-ose'.

'glucose' entered scientific English in the 19th century via French 'glucose' and Modern Latin 'glucosum', which derive from Greek 'glykys' ('sweet'). The prefix 'non-' comes from Latin 'non' and has been used in English since Old English and Medieval Latin periods to form negatives; the compound 'non-glucose' is a modern technical formation.

The components originally meant 'not' (non-) and 'sweet/sugar' (from 'glykys'); combined in modern scientific usage they specifically denote 'not glucose' (i.e., substances or fractions that are not the sugar glucose).