'nonelectrolyte' originates from modern English, formed by the prefix 'non-' + 'electrolyte', where 'non-' meant 'not' and 'electrolyte' referred to a substance that produces ions in solution.

'electrolyte' comes from New Latin/Greek roots related to 'electro-' (from Greek 'elektron' meaning 'amber' — historically associated with electric phenomena) and the suffix '-lyte', and 'nonelectrolyte' was formed in modern usage by adding 'non-' to 'electrolyte' to indicate the negation.

Initially, 'electrolyte' described substances split into ions by electrical action; 'nonelectrolyte' simply developed as the negative form meaning 'not an electrolyte' and has been used with that technical meaning in chemistry.