'non-wood-related' originates from Modern English, combining the negative prefix 'non-' (ultimately from Latin 'non', meaning 'not'), 'wood' (from Old English 'wudu', meaning 'wood'), and 'related' (from Latin 'relatus' via Old French and Middle English).

'wood' changed from Old English 'wudu' to Middle English 'wode' and eventually became the modern English word 'wood'. 'related' evolved from Latin 'relatus' through Old French (relater/relatif) into Middle English forms and eventually 'related'. The compound 'non-...' formation is a modern English pattern applied to create negated adjectives.

Initially the elements meant 'not' + 'wood' + 'related' in their original languages; as a compound in modern English it has kept the straightforward meaning of 'not connected with wood,' with 'non-' used productively to form many negated compounds.