'anilities' originates from Latin, specifically the adjective 'anilis', where 'anus' meant 'old woman'; English added the suffix '-ity' to form 'anility', whose plural is 'anilities'.

'anilis' influenced Early Modern English 'anile' and yielded the English noun 'anility', which in plural became the modern English word 'anilities'.

Initially, it meant 'the quality of being like an old woman' or 'dotage'; over time it has been used more broadly for 'senile foolishness' and 'trivial, doting remarks or actions'.