Utility

//juːˈtɪl.ɪ.ti// adj, noun

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Having to do with, or owned by, a service provider.

    "utility line; utility bill"

  2. 2
    containing or intended for any of a building’s often-utility-related commodity transport, such as pipes or wires, or converting equipment, such as furnaces, water tanks or heaters, circuit breakers, central air conditioning units, laundry facilities, etc.

    "utility room; utility corridor"

  3. 3
    Functional rather than attractive.

    ""Chocolate and cream," the standard colours of G.W.R. rolling stock for 21 years, are now being replaced by an all-over utility coating of reddish-brown. This is the third time that a uniform brown has been adopted as the standard livery of G.W.R. carriages."

Adjective
  1. 1
    capable of substituting in any of several positions on a team wordnet
  2. 2
    used of beef; usable but inferior wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    The state or condition of being useful; usefulness. countable, uncountable

    ""The profession has its utility, but I should be sorry to see any friend of mine belonging to it.""

  2. 2
    the service (electric power or water or transportation) provided by a public utility wordnet
  3. 3
    Something that is useful. countable, uncountable

    "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."

  4. 4
    a facility composed of one or more pieces of equipment connected to or part of a structure and designed to provide a service such as heat or electricity or water or sewage disposal wordnet
  5. 5
    The ability of a commodity to satisfy needs or wants; the satisfaction experienced by the consumer of that commodity. countable, uncountable
Show 11 more definitions
  1. 6
    the quality of being of practical use wordnet
  2. 7
    Well-being, satisfaction, pleasure, or happiness. countable, uncountable
  3. 8
    (computer science) a program designed for general support of the processes of a computer wordnet
  4. 9
    A commodity or service provided on a continuous basis by a physical infrastructure network, such as electricity, water supply or sewerage. countable, uncountable

    "The complex includes the usual utilities (gas and electricity) and amenities like wifi and a gym (toilets with toiletries)."

  5. 10
    a company that performs a public service; subject to government regulation wordnet
  6. 11
    A natural or legal monopoly distributer of such a utility; or, the securities of such a provider. broadly, countable, uncountable
  7. 12
    (economics) a measure that is to be maximized in any situation involving choice wordnet
  8. 13
    A software program other than a game; one that is useful or creative rather than merely entertaining. countable, uncountable

    "a graphics utility; a music utility"

  9. 14
    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. countable, uncountable

    "Holonyms: app, application, program"

  10. 15
    The ability to play multiple positions. countable, uncountable
  11. 16
    A coupé utility, or ute; an automobile with an open tray or bed behind the passenger cabin. Australia, New-Zealand, countable, uncountable

    "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."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English utilite, from Old French utilite, utilitet (“usefulness”), from Latin ūtilitās, from uti (“to use”). By surface analysis, utile + -ity.

Etymology 2

From Middle English utilite, from Old French utilite, utilitet (“usefulness”), from Latin ūtilitās, from uti (“to use”). By surface analysis, utile + -ity.

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