utility
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /juːˈtɪl.ɪ.ti/
ipa: /jəˈtɪl.ɪ.ti/
ipa: /juˈtɪl.ə.ti/
ipa: [juˈtɪl.ə.ɾi]
note: Indic
ipa: /jʊʈɪˈlɪʈi/
note: Indic
ipa: /ˈjuʈɪlɪʈi/
rhymes: -ɪlɪti
Forms: form: utilities
Etymology: From Middle English utilite, from Old French utilite, utilitet (“usefulness”), from Latin ūtilitās, from uti (“to use”). By surface analysis, utile + -ity.
Senses: examples: text: "The profession has its utility, but I should be sorry to see any friend of mine belonging to it."
ref: 1817 (date written), [Jane Austen], “III”, in Persuasion; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volume (please specify |volume=III or IV), London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), →OCLC:
glosses: The state or condition of being useful; usefulness.
examples: text: Undoubtedly it can be said that the humble 0-6-0 has been the backbone for general service, or general utility on British railways right from their earliest days, and is likely to remain so.
ref: 1945 November and December, H. C. Casserley, “Random Reflections on British Locomotive Types—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 320:
glosses: Something that is useful.
topics: economics
sciences
glosses: The ability of a commodity to satisfy needs or wants; the satisfaction experienced by the consumer of that commodity.
topics: human-sciences
philosophy
sciences
glosses: Well-being, satisfaction, pleasure, or happiness.
examples: text: Elsewhere, utility diversion works are still scheduled to continue, with work to move a gas main on Drummond Street set to begin in early 2025.
ref: 2025 February 19, Chris Howe, “Euston: a work in progress”, in RAIL, number 1029, page 46:
text: The 'slab track' system negates the need to divert utilities such as gas pipes and telecoms cables by only digging down to a depth of 30cm.
ref: 2025 June 25, “Network News: Public trials of Coventry's Very Light Rail system”, in RAIL, number 1038, page 10:
topics: business
synonyms: service
glosses: A commodity or service provided on a continuous basis by a physical infrastructure network, such as electricity, water supply or sewerage.
topics: business
finance
glosses: A natural or legal monopoly distributer of such a utility; or, the securities of such a provider.
examples: text: a graphics utility; a music utility
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: A software program other than a game; one that is useful or creative rather than merely entertaining.
examples: text: Holonyms: app, application, program
text: I've bought a new disk utility that can recover deleted files.
text: The system includes an 8080 and a Z80 assembler, a Tektronix format downloader and other utilities.
ref: 1982, InfoWorld, volume 4, number 10, page 35:
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
coordinate_terms: applet#Noun
worklet#Noun
;
trustlet#Noun
glosses: A software program designed to perform a single task or a small range of tasks, often to help manage and tune computer hardware, an operating system, or application software.
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: The ability to play multiple positions.
examples: text: Tim Archer got into the utility and drove[.] The car was a 1946 Chevrolet, somewhat battered by four years of station use, a sturdy practical vehicle with a coupé front seat and an open truck body behind.
ref: 1952, Nevil Shute, chapter 1, in The Far Country, Melbourne: Heinemann:
glosses: A coupé utility, or ute; an automobile with an open tray or bed behind the passenger cabin.
Synonyms: word: utility
word: value
word: usefulness
Derived terms: Asian utility vehicle
beautility
coupé utility
law of diminishing marginal utility
marginal utility
multiutility
public utility
public utility bus
public utility jeepney
public utility van
public utility vehicle
sport utility vehicle
transaction utility
utilitarian
utility ball
utility bar
utility belt
utility bike
utility calculus
utility computing
utility fog
utility function
utility furniture
utility graph
utility knife
utility man
utility model
utility monster
utility pigeon
utility player
utility pole
utility program
utility programme
utility room
utility sink
utility trailer
utility truck
utility vehicle