'non-muscle' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and the word 'muscle' from Latin 'musculus', meaning 'little mouse' due to the shape of muscles under the skin.

'musculus' transformed into the Old French word 'muscle', and eventually became the modern English word 'muscle'.

Initially, 'muscle' referred to the physical tissue, and 'non-muscle' was coined to describe tissues that do not have the properties of muscle.