'nonabrasive' originates from Modern English, formed from the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') plus the adjective 'abrasive', ultimately from Latin 'abradere', where 'ab-' meant 'away' and 'radere' meant 'to scrape'.

'abrasive' developed from Latin 'abradere' (to scrape) through Late Latin and influence in Middle English as forms related to 'abrade' and the adjective-forming suffix '-ive', and later combined with the English prefix 'non-' to form 'nonabrasive'.

Initially related to the literal action 'to scrape away' (in 'abrade'), the adjective 'abrasive' came to mean both 'causing physical wear' and, figuratively, 'harsh or rude'; 'nonabrasive' simply negates these senses to mean 'not abrasive' (physically or figuratively).