'nonruling' originates from the English negative prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non', meaning 'not') combined with 'ruling', the present participle of 'rule' (ultimately from Latin 'regula').

'non-' has been used in English since Middle English to form negatives by prefixing to adjectives and participles; 'rule' derived via Old French (e.g. 'reuler') from Latin 'regula', and the compound 'non-' + 'ruling' developed in modern English by simple prefixation to express the absence of ruling authority.

Initially formed to mean 'not ruling' and it has retained that literal negative sense in modern usage.