'nonfloriphagous' originates from a combination of Latin and Greek elements: the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non') meaning 'not', plus 'flori-' from Latin 'flos, floris' meaning 'flower', and the Greek-derived suffix '-phagous' from 'phagein' meaning 'to eat'.

'floriphagous' was formed in New Latin/neo-classical coinage by combining Latin 'flos, floris' and Greek '-phagous'; English adopted 'floriphagous' as a scientific adjective, and the negative prefix 'non-' was later attached in English to create 'nonfloriphagous' to indicate the opposite property.

Originally the roots together described 'flower-eating' ('floriphagous'); prefixing 'non-' produced a straightforward negation meaning 'not flower-eating', and the meaning has remained literal and specific.