'non-sperm-producing' originates from modern English compounding: the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') + 'sperm' (from Greek 'sperma', meaning 'seed' or 'semen') + 'producing' (from verb 'produce', ultimately from Latin 'producere', meaning 'to lead forth or bring forth').

'sperm' comes from Greek 'sperma' via Late Latin 'sperma' and Middle English forms; 'produce' derives from Latin 'producere' through Old French and Middle English. The hyphenated compound 'non-sperm-producing' is a recent English morphological formation combining these elements to form a descriptive adjective.

Initially the roots referred separately to 'not' (non-), 'seed/seminal material' (sperm), and 'to bring forth' (produce); combined in modern usage they straightforwardly mean 'not producing sperm' with little semantic drift.