'nonobjective' originates from the English prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' (from Late Latin/Old French influence) combined with 'objective', which ultimately comes from Latin 'objectivus' (from 'objectum').

'objective' comes via Middle French/Medieval Latin from Latin 'objectum' (something thrown before), from 'ob-' 'toward' + 'jacere' 'to throw'; the modern compound 'nonobjective' was formed in English by adding the prefix 'non-' to 'objective' to express the negation and was used especially in 20th-century art discourse to describe nonrepresentational work.

Initially, 'nonobjective' simply meant 'not objective' (not impartial); in art contexts it came to be used specifically for works that do not depict real-world objects, i.e. 'nonrepresentational' art.