Where does “nonfriction” come from?
nonfriction (English) comes from English non, from French non, from Old French non, from Latin nōn, from Old Latin noenum, from Proto-Indo-European óynos — one; single.
nonfriction (English): Absence of friction
Definitions
- Absence of friction
Ancestry of “nonfriction”, step by step
nonfriction traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English non
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | non | Obsolete form of none |
| 2 | French | non | no; not; a no, a negative response |
| 3 | Old French | non | no; not; Alternative form of nom |
| 4 | Latin | nōn | not |
| 5 | Old Latin | noenum | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | óynos | one; single |
via English friction
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | friction | The rubbing of one object or surface against... |
| 2 | Middle French | friction | — |
| 3 | Latin | frictionem | accusative singular of frictiō |