'nonmicrobic' originates from English, formed by the prefix 'non-' + the adjective 'microbic', where 'non-' meant 'not' and 'microbic' related to 'microbe' (small life).

'microbic' derives from 'microbe' (coined in French in the late 19th century from Greek elements), and 'nonmicrobic' is a modern English formation negating that adjective.

Initially 'microbe' meant 'small life'; over time it came to mean 'microorganism', so 'nonmicrobic' has the current meaning 'not pertaining to or caused by microorganisms'.