'nonmetal' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and the word 'metal', which comes from the Greek word 'metallon', meaning 'mine, quarry, or metal'.

'nonmetal' was formed by combining the prefix 'non-' with 'metal' to describe elements that do not exhibit metallic properties.

Initially, it meant 'not a metal', and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.