'impersonality' originates from English, specifically formed from the adjective 'impersonal' + the suffix '-ity', where 'impersonal' ultimately derives from Latin elements: the prefix 'in-' meaning 'not' and 'persona' meaning 'person' or 'mask'.

'impersonality' developed from Latin and French roots: Latin 'persona' gave rise to Medieval/Latin derivatives (e.g. 'impersonalis'), passed through Old French/French forms (e.g. 'impersonnel'), and entered English as 'impersonal' to which the suffix '-ity' was added to form 'impersonality'.

Initially it referred simply to 'the state of not being personal or individual'; over time the sense broadened to include objectivity, neutrality, and the grammatical notion of impersonal constructions, while retaining the core idea of absence of personal character.