'non-weed-resistant' originates from Modern English, specifically formed from the prefix 'non-' (ultimately from Latin 'non', where 'non' meant 'not'), 'weed' (from Old English 'wēod', where 'wēod' meant 'herb' or 'weed'), and 'resistant' (from Latin 'resistere' via Old French, where 'resistere' meant 'to stand back').

'non-weed-resistant' changed from the separate components 'non-' + 'weed' + 'resistant' used in English compounds and eventually became the hyphenated adjective 'non-weed-resistant'. The element 'weed' derives from Old English 'wēod' and 'resistant' from Latin 'resistere' through Old French.

Initially, the components meant 'not' + 'weed' + 'to withstand'; over time the compound came to be used in horticultural and agricultural contexts with the current meaning 'not resistant to weeds' (i.e., prone to weed growth).