Where does “non-negative” come from?

non-negative (English) comes from English negative, from Middle English negative, from Old French negatif, from Latin negativus, from Latin negō, from Latin nec, from Latin neque, from Proto-Indo-European nekʷe — not.

non-negative (English): Of a real number, either positive or zero; not...

Definitions

  1. Of a real number, either positive or zero; not...

Ancestry of “non-negative”, step by step

non-negative traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English negative

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishnegativeNot positive nor neutral; Of electrical charge of...
2Middle Englishnegative
3Old Frenchnegatif
4Latinnegativusdenied, negative, that which denies; inhibiting
5Latinnegōto deny
6Latinnecnor; and not, not; neither
7Latinnequenot; and not, also not
8Proto-Indo-Europeannekʷeand not, neither, nor
9Proto-Indo-Europeannenot

via English non

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishnonObsolete form of none
2Frenchnonno; not; a no, a negative response
3Old Frenchnonno; not; Alternative form of nom
4Latinnōnnot
5Old Latinnoenum
6Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single
Every word from Proto-Indo-European neEvery word from Proto-Indo-European nekʷeEvery word from Latin neque