'noncoal-bearing' is a Modern English compound formed by the prefix 'non-' plus the compound 'coal-bearing'; 'non-' ultimately comes from Latin 'non' meaning 'not', 'coal' comes from Old English 'col' meaning 'coal', and 'bearing' derives from Old English 'beran' meaning 'to carry or bear'.

'coal' developed from Old English 'col'; 'bear' developed from Old English 'beran'; the compound 'coal-bearing' arose in post-medieval English to describe strata that 'carry' or 'contain' coal, and 'non-' was later prefixed to form 'noncoal-bearing' in modern geological usage.

Initially the elements meant 'not' + 'containing coal'; the combined term's meaning has remained consistent as 'lacking coal' in technical contexts.