Utilitarian

/juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəɹi.ən/ adj, noun

adj, noun ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.

    "Before his companies collapsed, Mr. Bankman-Fried often described himself as a utilitarian — meaning that he made decisions designed to advance the greater good."

  2. 2
    someone who believes that the value of a thing depends on its utility wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    Of or relating to utility.
  2. 2
    Pertaining to utilitarianism.
  3. 3
    Practical and functional, present for use, not just for show.

    "The semi-streamlined contour of the earlier G.W.R. railcars has been given up in favour of a more utilitarian blunt-nose end, and effective floor space gained thereby."

Adjective
  1. 1
    having a useful function wordnet
  2. 2
    having utility often to the exclusion of values wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
adherentadvantageousadvocate of utilitarianismanimistanimisticapplied activity

Example

More examples

"The study of history offers to individuals major utilitarian learning outcomes."

Etymology

From utility + -arian. Coined by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham as early as 1781, and popularized by his student John Stuart Mill, who mistakenly attributed the term to John Galt.

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