'nonessentiality' originates from English, specifically formed from the prefix 'non-' (meaning 'not'), the adjective 'essential' (ultimately from Latin 'essentia'), and the noun-forming suffix '-ity' (from Latin '-itas').

'essential' comes from Latin 'essentia' (from 'esse', meaning 'to be'), passed through Late Latin and Old French into Middle English as 'essential'; English formed 'nonessential' with the negative prefix 'non-' and then the abstract noun 'nonessentiality' with the suffix '-ity'.

Initially related to the idea of 'essence' or 'being' (from Latin 'essentia'); over time the compound 'nonessentiality' came to mean specifically 'the state of not being essential' or 'lack of necessity'.