banality

American  

[buh-nal-i-tee, bey-] / bəˈnæl ɪ ti, beɪ- /

noun

plural

banalities

1. the condition or quality of being banal, or devoid of freshness or originality.

   the banality of everyday life.

2. an instance of this.

   We sat around the dinner table exchanging banalities.

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Etymology

Origin of banality

First recorded in 1815–25; from French banalité, equivalent to banal ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Example Sentences

The real author describes it as a combination of plagiarism and banality.

From BBC

The finish line isn’t moral resolution, but the banality of the cash register: a product governed where it matters most, at the point of sale.

From The Wall Street Journal

The 37-year-old head coach may have won a title in his second season, but he’s equally known for his deadpan, quirky responses to the usual media banalities.

From The Wall Street Journal

The cinematography, by Jarred Alterman, is quite handsome and composed, amplifying the seriousness and eeriness, but also the banality and absurdity of the matter.

From Los Angeles Times

But to bemoan the barely audible banality of it all – the dull motives, the mumbled attempts to shift blame, the sullen complaints about prison life and unsatisfactory psychiatric evaluations - is to miss the truth.

From BBC

Related Words

• platitude