inutile

[in-yoo-til]

See more synonyms for inutile on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of no use or service.

Origin of inutile

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English word from Latin word inūtilis. See in-³, utile

Related formsin·u·tile·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for inutile

abortive, bootless, disadvantageous, dysfunctional, expendable, feckless, fruitless, futile, good-for-nothing, hopeless, idle, impracticable, impractical, incompetent, ineffective, ineffectual, inept, inoperative, meaningless, pointless

Examples from the Web for inutile

Historical Examples of inutile

The tune of her life had never sounded so discouragingly faint and inutile.
Visionaries
James Huneker
There is a lot of inutile talk about "significant form" by propagandists of the New Æsthetic.
Unicorns
James Huneker
M. France sees and notes many gestures, inutile or tragic, notes them with the enthralling simplicity of a complicated artist.
Egoists
James Huneker
Inutile à dire que ses vêtements se trouvent imprégnés du “smell of india-rubber.”
Old Friends
Andrew Lang
Next she found the telephone wire cut and the speaking tube battered and inutile.
The Drums Of Jeopardy
Harold MacGrath

British Dictionary definitions for inutile

inutile

adjective

rare useless; unprofitable

Derived Formsinutilely, adverbinutility, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for inutile

adj.

late 15c., from French inutile (12c., inutele), from Latin inutilis "useless, unprofitable," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + utilis (see utility).