'non-insulating' originates from English, specifically the prefix 'non-' and the adjective 'insulating', where 'non-' meant 'not' (from Latin 'non') and 'insulating' is derived from 'insulate' which ultimately comes from Latin 'insula' meaning 'island'.

'insulate' developed from Latin 'insula' ("island") → Late Latin/Medieval Latin forms such as 'insulatus' meaning 'made into an island/isolated' → Middle English adaptations and the verb 'insulate' in modern English; the modern compound 'non-insulating' formed by adding the negative prefix 'non-' to 'insulating'.

Initially, related forms meant 'make into an island' or 'isolate'; over time 'insulate' evolved to mean 'to prevent passage (of heat, electricity, sound)', and 'non-insulating' now means 'not providing that prevention' (i.e., allowing passage).