'non-sticking' originates from the Latin prefix 'non' (meaning 'not') combined with the English verb 'stick' (from Old English 'stician'/'sticca'), where 'non-' meant 'not' and 'stick' meant 'to adhere or attach.'

'stick' comes from Old English words such as 'stician' (to pierce, stick) and 'sticca' (a peg, stick); over time these senses developed into the modern verb 'stick' meaning 'to adhere'. The modern compound 'non-stick' (and variant 'non-sticking') developed in modern English by adding the prefix 'non-' to the participle/verb form.

Initially elements related to 'stick' often meant 'to pierce or thrust'; over time the core sense shifted to 'adhere, cling', and 'non-sticking' now means 'not adhering or clinging.'