non-discrimination

The word is a modern English compound formed by directly adding the negative prefix "non-" to the noun "discrimination." The prefix "non-" originates from Latin "non," meaning "not," a straightforward negation. The core noun "discrimination" derives from the Latin verb "discriminare," meaning "to divide or distinguish," which itself comes from "discrimen," meaning "a dividing line or distinction." While the Latin root initially described a neutral act of separation, its English meaning evolved to specifically signify "unjust or prejudicial distinction." Therefore, "non-discrimination" logically constructs the concept of "the absence of unjust distinction," reflecting a key principle in modern legal and social ethics.

Structure: non (not) + discrimination (unfair bias) - non: A prefix of Latin origin, meaning "not" or "the absence of." It functions as a negative modifier. - discrimination: A noun of Latin origin, from the root "discriminat-" meaning "to distinguish or separate." In this compound, it carries the sense of "the act of making unfair distinctions."