'nonviolence' originates from the Latin word 'violentia,' where 'non-' is a prefix meaning 'not' and 'violentia' meant 'violence.'

'nonviolence' was formed by adding the prefix 'non-' to the word 'violence,' creating a term that signifies the absence of violence.

Initially, it meant 'absence of violence,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.