banal

See also: banał and Banal

English

Alternative forms

• bannal (uncommon)

Etymology

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.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bəˈnɑːl/, /ˈbeɪnəl/, /bəˈnæl/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːl, -eɪnəl, -æl
• Hyphenation: ban‧al

Adjective

banal (comparative more banal or banaler, superlative most banal or banalest)

1. Common in a boring way, to the point of being predictable; containing nothing new or fresh.

   Synonyms: everyday, prosaic, mundane; see also Thesaurus:hackneyed, Thesaurus:boring

   Antonyms: new, original

   banal clichés

   banal conversation

   sound banal

   The movie’s dialogue was predictable and banal.

   He made a few banal remarks about the weather.

   • 2013, John Carney, Begin Again (motion picture), spoken by Dan (Mark Ruffalo):

     One of the most banal scenes is suddenly invested with so much meaning! All these banalities - They're suddenly turned into these… these beautiful, effervescent pearls. From Music.

2. (uncommon, historical) Relating to a type of feudal jurisdiction or service.
   • 1926, Thomas Guérin, Feudal Canada: The Story of the Seigniories of New France, page 72:

     They arrived in 1732, and were distributed gratis to the more important banal mills.

   • 1984, C. Warren Hollister, “War and Diplomacy in the Anglo-Norman world: the reign of Henry I”, in Anglo-Norman Studies VI: Proceedings of the Battle Conference, 1983, page 79:

     French historians have viewed these policies as efforts to replace the banal authority inherited from the Carolingians […]

   • 2002, Wim Blockmans, Peter Hoppenbrouwers, Introduction to Medieval Europe 300–1500, page 138:

     To what extent were banal lords accountable to a prince or a king for their unrestricted exercise of public authority?

Derived terms

• banalise
• banality
• banalize
• banally
• banalness

Translations

common

• Albanian: banal (sq)
• Arabic: بَايِخ (bāyiḵ), عَادِيّ (ʕādiyy)
• Armenian: տափակ (hy) (tapʻak), ծեծված (hy) (cecvac), բանալ (hy) (banal), անհամ (hy) (anham)
• Belarusian: бана́льны (banálʹny), звыча́йны (be) (zvyčájny)
• Bulgarian: обикнове́н (bg) (obiknovén), бана́лен (bg) (banálen)
• Catalan: banal (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 平凡 (zh) (píngfán), 平庸 (zh) (píngyōng), 平常 (zh) (píngcháng)

• Czech: banální (cs)
• Danish: banal
• Dutch: banaal (nl), gewoontjes (nl)
• Esperanto: banala (eo)
• Finnish: lattea (fi), itsestään selvä
• French: banal (fr)
• Frisian:

  West Frisian: plat

• Galician: banal
• Georgian: ბანალური (banaluri), ჩვეულებრივი (čveulebrivi)
• German: banal (de)
• Greek: μπανάλ (el) (banál)
• Hebrew: שטחי (shitkhí), בָּנָלִי (he) (banáli)
• Hungarian: banális (hu)
• Indonesian: banal (id)
• Interlingua: banal
• Italian: banale (it)
• Japanese: ありふれた (ja) (arifureta), 陳腐な (ja) (ちんぷな, chinpu na)
• Korean: 시시하다 (ko) (sisihada), 따분하다 (ko) (ttabunhada), 진부(陳腐)하다 (ko) (jinbuhada), 평범하다 (ko) (pyeongbeomhada)
• Kyrgyz: тамтыгы чыккан (ky) (tamtıgı cıkkan)
• Lithuanian: banalus
• Macedonian: банален (banalen)
• Malay: basi (ms), banal (ms)
• Māori: mākihakiha
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: banal (no)

• Polish: banalny (pl)
• Portuguese: banal (pt)
• Romanian: banal (ro)
• Russian: бана́льный (ru) (banálʹnyj), изби́тый (ru) (izbítyj), обыкнове́нный (ru) (obyknovénnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: ба̀на̄лан

  Latin: bànālan (sh)

• Slovak: banálny (sk)
• Slovene: banalen
• Spanish: banal (es)
• Swedish: banal (sv)
• Turkish: banal (tr)
• Ukrainian: бана́льний (uk) (banálʹnyj), звича́йний (uk) (zvyčájnyj)
• Vietnamese: nhàm (vi)

Further reading

• “banal”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “banal”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Alban, Balan, Blaan, Laban, Nabal, alban, laban, labna, nabal, nabla

Breton

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

banal m

1. bramble
2. broom (a plant, sp. Genista)

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from French banal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [bəˈnal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [baˈnal]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Adjective

banal m or f (masculine and feminine plural banals)

1. banal (common in a boring way)

Derived terms

• banalitat
• banalitzar
• banalment

Further reading

• “banal”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “banal”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026
• “banal” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “banal” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Central Bikol

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Philippine *bənər, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bənər. Compare Kapampangan banal, Masbatenyo banal, and Tagalog banal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈnal/ [baˈn̪al̪]
• Hyphenation: ba‧nal

Adjective

banál (Basahan spelling ᜊᜈᜎ᜔)

1. pious; devout

Derived terms

• kabanalan
• magbanal
• pabanal

Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from French banal.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [baˈnæˀl]

Adjective

banal (neuter banalt, plural and definite singular attributive banale)

1. banal

Inflection

Inflection of banal

	positive	comparative	superlative
indefinite common singular	banal	banalere	banalest2
indefinite neuter singular	banalt	banalere	banalest2
plural	banale	banalere	banalest2
definite attributive1	banale	banalere	banaleste

¹ When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
² The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Synonyms

• triviel
• ligetil

Derived terms

• banalitet
• banalisere

References

• “banal” in Den Danske Ordbog

French

Etymology

From ban +‎ -al, related to Medieval Latin bannālis, from bannus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.nal/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (Switzerland (Valais)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Saint-Étienne)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Somain)):

  (file)

• Homophones: banale, banals, banales

Adjective

banal (feminine banale, masculine plural banals or banaux, feminine plural banales)

1. (historical) owned by feudal lords
2. (law) public, shared

   Synonym: communal

   un four banal ― a village oven

   un moulin banal ― a village mill

   un pressoir banal ― a village press

3. banal, trite, commonplace

Usage notes

• The masculine plural banaux is used for the feudal and legal senses, while the form banals is used for the far more common sense of "trite."

Derived terms

• banaliser
• banalité

Descendants

• → Belarusian: бана́льны (banálʹny)
• → Catalan: banal
• → Dutch: banaal
  • → Indonesian: banal
  • → Malay: banal
• → English: banal
• → Danish: banal
• → German: banal
• → Polish: banalny
• → Portuguese: banal
• → Romanian: banal
• → Russian: бана́льный (banálʹnyj)
  • → Georgian: ბანალური (banaluri)
• → Spanish: banal
• → Turkish: banal
• → Ukrainian: бана́льний (banálʹnyj)
• → Macedonian: банално (banalno)

Further reading

• “banal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Anagrams

• Alban

German

Etymology

Borrowed from French banal, from Medieval Latin bannalis, from bannum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈnaːl/
• Rhymes: -aːl

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

Adjective

banal (strong nominative masculine singular banaler, comparative banaler, superlative am banalsten)

1. banal
   • 2026 January 6, Georges Desrues, “Italienischer Espresso, Rohmilch und welche Kulinariktrends noch nerven”, in Der Standard‎^[1]:

     Man denke – nur so als Beispiel – an die Zeiten, als es hierzulande gerade einmal eine Handvoll Brauereien und vornehmlich zwei Sorten Bier gab. Nämlich Märzen und Spezial, während ein banales Pils bereits als etwas Exotisches galt – und man für ein Vienna Lager bis nach Kalifornien reisen musste, weil es in der namensgebenden Stadt niemand mehr braute.

     Think about times when – as a mere example – there were in this country but a handful of breweries and mainly two sorts of beer. Namely Märzen and Spezial, whereas a warmed-over pilsner was deemed an exotic thing, and for a Vienna lager one had to travel to California by reason that nobody brew it in the namesake city.

Declension

Positive forms of banal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist banal	sie ist banal	es ist banal	sie sind banal
strong declension (without article)	nominative	banaler	banale	banales	banale
	genitive	banalen	banaler	banalen	banaler
	dative	banalem	banaler	banalem	banalen
	accusative	banalen	banale	banales	banale
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der banale	die banale	das banale	die banalen
	genitive	des banalen	der banalen	des banalen	der banalen
	dative	dem banalen	der banalen	dem banalen	den banalen
	accusative	den banalen	die banale	das banale	die banalen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein banaler	eine banale	ein banales	(keine) banalen
	genitive	eines banalen	einer banalen	eines banalen	(keiner) banalen
	dative	einem banalen	einer banalen	einem banalen	(keinen) banalen
	accusative	einen banalen	eine banale	ein banales	(keine) banalen

Comparative forms of banal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist banaler	sie ist banaler	es ist banaler	sie sind banaler
strong declension (without article)	nominative	banalerer	banalere	banaleres	banalere
	genitive	banaleren	banalerer	banaleren	banalerer
	dative	banalerem	banalerer	banalerem	banaleren
	accusative	banaleren	banalere	banaleres	banalere
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der banalere	die banalere	das banalere	die banaleren
	genitive	des banaleren	der banaleren	des banaleren	der banaleren
	dative	dem banaleren	der banaleren	dem banaleren	den banaleren
	accusative	den banaleren	die banalere	das banalere	die banaleren
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein banalerer	eine banalere	ein banaleres	(keine) banaleren
	genitive	eines banaleren	einer banaleren	eines banaleren	(keiner) banaleren
	dative	einem banaleren	einer banaleren	einem banaleren	(keinen) banaleren
	accusative	einen banaleren	eine banalere	ein banaleres	(keine) banaleren

Superlative forms of banal

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist am banalsten	sie ist am banalsten	es ist am banalsten	sie sind am banalsten
strong declension (without article)	nominative	banalster	banalste	banalstes	banalste
	genitive	banalsten	banalster	banalsten	banalster
	dative	banalstem	banalster	banalstem	banalsten
	accusative	banalsten	banalste	banalstes	banalste
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der banalste	die banalste	das banalste	die banalsten
	genitive	des banalsten	der banalsten	des banalsten	der banalsten
	dative	dem banalsten	der banalsten	dem banalsten	den banalsten
	accusative	den banalsten	die banalste	das banalste	die banalsten
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein banalster	eine banalste	ein banalstes	(keine) banalsten
	genitive	eines banalsten	einer banalsten	eines banalsten	(keiner) banalsten
	dative	einem banalsten	einer banalsten	einem banalsten	(keinen) banalsten
	accusative	einen banalsten	eine banalste	ein banalstes	(keine) banalsten

Related terms

• banalisieren
• Banalität

Further reading

• “banal” in Duden online
• “banal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay banal, from Dutch banaal, from French banal, from Medieval Latin bannalis, from bannum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbanal]
• Hyphenation: ba‧nal

Adjective

banal

1. banal (common)

   Synonym: biasa

2. rude

   Synonym: kasar

Further reading

• “banal”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Kapampangan

Etymology

From Proto-Philippine *bənər, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bənər. Compare Central Bikol banal, Masbatenyo banal, and Tagalog banal.

Adjective

banál

1. holy; sacred

Derived terms

• magpakabanal

Luxembourgish

Adjective

banal (masculine banalen, neuter banaalt, comparative méi banal, superlative am banaalsten)

1. banal

Declension

Declension of banal

		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		hien ass banal	si ass banal	et ass banal	si si(nn) banal
nominative / accusative	attributive and/or after determiner	banalen	banal	banaalt	banal
	independent without determiner			banales	banaler
dative	after any declined word	banalen	banaler	banalen	banalen
	as first declined word	banalem		banalem

Malay

Etymology

From Dutch banaal, from French banal, from Medieval Latin bannalis, from bannum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /banal/
• Rhymes: -anal, -nal, -al

Adjective

banal (Jawi spelling بانل, comparative lebih banal, superlative paling banal)

1. banal (common)

   Synonym: basi

Further reading

• "banal" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017

Masbatenyo

Etymology

From Proto-Philippine *bənər, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bənər.

Adjective

banál

1. holy; divine

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /baˈnaw/ [baˈnaʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /bɐˈnal/ [bɐˈnaɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /bɐˈnal/ [bɐˈnaɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /bɐˈna.li/

• Audio (Brazil (Caipira)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -al, -aw
• Hyphenation: ba‧nal

Adjective

banal m or f (plural banais)

1. banal (common)
2. hackneyed (repeated too often)

   Synonyms: batido, trivial

Derived terms

• banalidade
• banalizar
• banalmente

Further reading

• “banal”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “banal”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French banal.

Adjective

banal m or n (feminine singular banală, masculine plural banali, feminine/neuter plural banale)

1. commonplace

Declension

Declension of banal

		singular				plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine		masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	banal		banală		banali	banale
	definite	banalul		banala		banalii	banalele
genitive- dative	indefinite	banal		banale		banali	banale
	definite	banalului		banalei		banalilor	banalelor

Related terms

• banalitate

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from French banal, from Medieval Latin bannālis, from bannum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈnal/ [baˈnal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: ba‧nal

Adjective

banal m or f (masculine and feminine plural banales)

1. banal

Derived terms

• banalidad
• banalizar

Further reading

• “banal”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from French banal. First attested in 1845.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈnɑːl/
• Rhymes: -ɑːl

Adjective

banal (comparative banalare, superlative banalast)

1. banal
   • 2023 June 21, Hedda Berglund, “Larmet från vårdcentralerna: Yngre söker vård i onödan [The alarm from the health centers: Younger people seek care unnecessarily]”, in SVT Nyheter‎^[2]:

     Myggbett. Insektsbett. Skoskav. Feber sen igår. Täppt i näsan. Ont i ögonen eftersom man har gråtit mycket. En ögonfrans har trillat av. […] Hosta i tre timmar. Håravfall efter att man färgat håret flera gånger. Sjukskrivning för att en lösnagel hade ramlat av. […] Det är några exempel på det som vi kallar banala hälsotillstånd.

     Mosquito bite. Insect bite. Shoe chafing. Fever since yesterday. Blocked nose. Eyes hurting because one have cried a lot. An eyelash has fallen off. […] Cough for three hours. Hair loss after dyeing one's hair several times. Sick leave because a false nail had fallen off. […] These are some examples of what we call banal health conditions.

   1. trite
      • 1982, Ratata, “Jackie”, in Jackie‎^[3]:

        Jackie, jag tror att du förstår. Den där tiden satte spår. Det kanske låter banalt, men jag saknar dig så.

        Jackie, I think you understand. That time left its mark. It might sound trite, but I miss you so.

Declension

Inflection of banal

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	banal	banalare	banalast
neuter singular	banalt	banalare	banalast
plural	banala	banalare	banalast
masculine plural2	banale	banalare	banalast
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	banale	banalare	banalaste
all	banala	banalare	banalaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Synonyms

• alldaglig (“everyday, quotidian”)
• ointressant (“uninteresting”)

Coordinate terms

• platt (“flat”)
• sliten (“worn, worn out”)
• uttjatad

Related terms

• banalitet

References

• banal in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• banal in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Malay benar, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bənər (“true, righteous, honest”). Compare Central Bikol banal, Kapampangan banal, Masbatenyo banal, and Tausug bunnal.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /baˈnal/ [bɐˈn̪al]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: ba‧nal

Adjective

banál (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜈᜎ᜔)

1. holy; sacred; blessed

   Synonyms: sagrado, santo, bendito, benditado

2. virtuous; righteous
3. pious; devout

Derived terms

• Araw ng mga Banal
• Banal na Espiritu
• Banal na Mag-anak
• Banal na Misa
• Banal na Pamilya
• Banal na Rosaryo
• Banal na Sakramento
• Banal na Santatlo
• Banal na Santo Rosaryo
• Banal na Tridwo ng Paskuwa
• banalin
• kabanalan
• mabanal
• mabanalin
• magbanal
• magbanal-banalan
• magmabanal
• magpabanal
• magpakabanal
• mapagbanal-banalan
• pagbabanal
• pagbabanal-banalan
• pagpapabanal
• pagpapakabanal
• pakabanalin
• pambanal
• Simbahan ni Jesucristo ng mga Banal sa mga Huling Araw

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈbanal/ [ˈbaː.n̪ɐl]
• Rhymes: -anal
• Syllabification: ba‧nal

Noun

banal (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜈᜎ᜔) (obsolete)

1. discomfort in one's bones (of the hands or feet)

   Synonyms: pilay, sala, lisya

Derived terms

• banalin
• kabanalan
• mabanal
• pagkabanal

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈbanal/ [ˈbaː.n̪ɐl]
• Rhymes: -anal
• Syllabification: ba‧nal

Noun

banal (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜈᜎ᜔) (obsolete)

1. weight of five onzas

Further reading

• “banal”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018
• San Buena Ventura, Fr. Pedro de (1613), Vocabulario de lengua tagala. El romance castellano puesto primero. Primera, y segunda parte.‎^[4] (overall work in Early Modern Spanish and Classical Tagalog), as directed by Gov. Gen. Juan de Silva, Pila, Laguna: La noble Villa de Pila, por Tomás Pinpin y Domingo Loag.
  • page 232: “Deſconçertarſe) Banal (pp) pie o mano”
  • page 379: “Iuſto) Banal (pc) que en todo açierta”
  • page 601: “Virtuoſo) Banal (pc) que ſigue la juſtiçia”

Anagrams

• lanab, laban

Turkish

Etymology

Borrowed from French banal, from Medieval Latin bannālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɑˈnɑl/
• Hyphenation: ba‧nal

Adjective

banal

1. banal

Derived terms

• banallik