also nonsmoker, 1836, "person who does not smoke tobacco," from non- + smoker. Meaning "non-smoking compartment in a railway car" is by 1901. Non-smoking is attested by 1826.
Entries linking to non-smoker
non-
a prefix used freely in English and meaning "not, lack of," or "sham," giving a negative sense to any word, 14c., from Anglo-French noun-, from Old French non-, from Latin non "not, by no means, not at all, not a," from Old Latin noenum "not one" (*ne oinom, from PIE root *ne- "not" + PIE root *oi-no- "one, unique"). In some cases perhaps from Middle English non "not" (adj.), from Old English nan (see not). "It differs from un- in that it denotes mere negation or absence of the thing or quality, while un- often denotes the opposite of the thing or quality" [Century Dictionary].
smoker n.
1590s, "one who cures meat," agent noun from smoke (v.). The meaning "one who smokes tobacco" (later also opium, etc.) is from 1610s. The railway meaning "smoking car" is from 1875 (smoking car is by 1846), American English. Smoker's cough is attested from 1898.