Banality: meaning, definitions and examples

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banality

 

[ bəˈnælɪti ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in everyday life

The quality or state of being banal, or devoid of freshness or originality; a commonplace or trite statement, idea, or occurrence.

Synonyms

cliché, ordinariness, platitude, triteness

Examples of usage

  • It was a banality to say that the sun rises in the East.
  • The book was criticized for its banality and lack of unique insights.
  • The banality of the small talk at the party was unbearable.
  • The film was filled with clichés and banalities.
  • His speech was full of banalities and lacked any real substance.

Translations

Translations of the word "banality" in other languages:

🇵🇹 banalidade

🇮🇳 साधारणता

🇩🇪 Banalität

🇮🇩 biasa

🇺🇦 банальність

🇵🇱 banalność

🇯🇵 平凡

🇫🇷 banalité

🇪🇸 banalidad

🇹🇷 banalite

🇰🇷 평범함

🇸🇦 تفاهة

🇨🇿 banalita

🇸🇰 banalita

🇨🇳 平凡

🇸🇮 banalnost

🇮🇸 hversdagsleiki

🇰🇿 жайшылық

🇬🇪 ბანალურობა

🇦🇿 banallıq

🇲🇽 banalidad

Etymology

The word 'banality' originated from the French word 'banalité', which in turn comes from the Latin word 'banalis' meaning 'belonging to a man, common, ordinary'. The term gained prominence in the 20th century with the rise of existentialism, particularly through the works of Jean-Paul Sartre who used it to describe the emptiness and lack of originality in modern life.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,690, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.