banal

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*bannaną“to order, summon, forbid”
2. Latin · derived frombannus“jurisdiction”
3. Medieval Latin · derived frombannālis“subject to feudal authority”
4. Old French · derived frombanel
5. French · borrowed frombanal“held in common, relating to feudal service, by extension commonplace”
6. English todaybanal

Borrowed from French banal (“held in common, relating to feudal service, by extension commonplace”), from Old French banel, related to Medieval Latin bannālis (“subject to feudal authority”), from Latin bannus (“jurisdiction”), both ultimately from Proto-Germanic *bannaną (“to order, summon, forbid”). Equivalent to ban + -al. See also ban, abandon.

Words from the same roots