non (French)

Where does "non" come from?

The French adverb 'non', meaning 'no', descends directly from the Old French 'non'[1][3]. This Old French term traces its roots back to the Latin word 'nōn'[1][3]. The Latin term itself carries an uncertain ultimate origin, though some scholars propose it derives from Old Latin 'noenum', a combination of the elements meaning 'not' and 'one'[2].

Open questions

• The ultimate origin of Latin nōn is uncertain, with competing theories suggesting a derivation from Old Latin noenum or from other Proto-Indo-European combinations. [2] [4]

Full etymology tree

• non (French), 'no'
  • inherited non (Old French), 'no'
    • inherited (Latin)
      • inherited non (Latin), 'not'

Ancestors

• non (Old French)
• non (Latin)

Sources

1. non (French) - Wiktionary
2. non (Latin) - Wiktionary
3. non (Old French) - Wiktionary
4. noenum (Latin) - Wiktionary
5. h₁óynos (Proto-Indo-European) - Wiktionary

Updated September 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris