Where does “nonlay” come from?

nonlay (English) comes from English lay, from English Lee, from Irish Laoi, from Middle Irish láed, from English loid, from English celluloid, from English -oid, from Latin -oides — watcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout.

nonlay (English): Not lay; clerical

Definitions

  1. Not lay; clerical

Ancestry of “nonlay”, step by step

nonlay traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English lay

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlayTo place down in a position of rest, or in a...
2EnglishLeefor someone who lived near a meadow (the Anglo-Saxon for meadow being ley or leag)
3IrishLaoilay, song
4Middle Irishláed
5EnglishloidA lock-picking tool made from a piece of...
6EnglishcelluloidAny of a variety of thermoplastics created from...
7English-oidOf similar form to, but not the same as. Having...
8Latin-oides-like, -form
9Greek-οending for accusative singular forms (eg δρόμος, ψήφος); and some vocative singular forms
10Ancient GreekεἶδοςThat which is seen: form, image, shape;...
11Spanish-scopio-scope
12Latin-scopium
13Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
14Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout

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 Ancient Greek σκοπός