'non-heat-related' originates from English, specifically formed from the prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not') + the noun 'heat' + the past-participial adjective 'related'. The prefix 'non-' ultimately comes from Latin 'non' meaning 'not'.

'non-' was adopted in English as a productive negative prefix; 'heat' comes from Old English 'hǣtu' (via Proto-Germanic) meaning 'heat'; 'related' derives from Latin 'relatus' (past participle of 'referre') via Old French and Middle English 'relaten' to the modern English 'relate' and its past-participial form 'related'. These elements combined in modern English to form the compound adjective 'non-heat-related'.

Initially each element had its original sense ('non-' = not, 'heat' = warmth/thermal energy, 'related' = brought back/connected), and over time 'related' settled to mean 'connected' so the compound's meaning became 'not connected to heat' or 'not caused by heat'.