banality etymology

Etymology:

• From Latin "banalis", meaning "common, ordinary"
• Derived from "bannus", meaning "command, proclamation"

Meaning:

• The quality of being ordinary, commonplace, or unremarkable
• A trivial or uninteresting thing or idea
• Something that is overused or lacks originality

Origin:

• The concept of banality originated in medieval Europe.
• In feudal societies, "bannus" referred to a royal decree or proclamation that imposed obligations on the common people.
• Over time, the term "banalis" came to be applied to anything that was common to all members of society and therefore unremarkable.
• In the 20th century, German philosopher Hannah Arendt popularized the term "banality of evil" to describe the horrors of the Holocaust, which were committed by ordinary people who followed orders without questioning their conscience.

banality relate terms

• banal

  Etymology Latin banalis meaning common ordinary trivial Old French banal Meani

• platitude

  Etymology Latin plātitūdō plātitudinis from plātus flat broad wide French

• cliche

  Etymology French cliché Ultimately from French clicher meaning to click Meanin

• commonplace

  Etymology Common from the Old French communis meaning shared by all or general

• comment

  Etymology Origin Old French comment from Latin quomodo meaning in what way or

• marker

  Etymology The word marker is derived from the Old French word marquier which itself

• truism

  Etymology Medieval Latin truismus Latin trūs trūdis to push thrust ismus

• bootstrap

  Etymology The word bootstrap comes from the phrase pull oneself up by one s bootstrap

• fret

  Etymology From Middle English freten fretten freten from Old English fretian to de

• shambles

  Etymology Middle English schamel from Old North French eschamel escamel from Medieva