The prefix "non-" is used in the English language to indicate negation or absence. It is added to words to create a new term that signifies the opposite or lack of the original meaning. For example, the word nonexistent means something that does not exist, while nonprofit refers to an organization that does not operate for profit. This prefix can be applied to various contexts, including nonverbal communication, which refers to conveying messages without spoken words, and nonfiction literature, which presents factual information rather than imaginary stories. By using "non-," we can easily express the idea of negation in a concise manner.