'banality' originates from French, specifically the word 'banalité', where 'banal' meant 'common' or 'ordinary'.

'banality' changed from Old French 'banalité' (from 'banal') into Middle English usages and eventually became the modern English word 'banality'.

Initially, related to 'things pertaining to a public ban or common use' (hence 'common, ordinary'), but over time it evolved into its current sense of 'the quality of being trite or unoriginal'.