utility

American  

[yoo-til-i-tee] / yuˈtɪl ɪ ti /

noun

utilities plural

1. the state or quality of being useful; usefulness.

   This chemical has no utility as an agricultural fertilizer.

2. something useful; a useful thing.

3. a public service, as a system to provide water or electricity, a railroad line, a cell tower network, or the like.

4. Often utilities. a useful or advantageous factor or feature.

   the relative utilities of a religious or a secular education.

5. Economics. the capacity of a commodity or a service to satisfy some human want.

6. the principle and end of the ethical doctrine of utilitarianism; well-being or happiness; that which is conducive to the happiness and well-being of the greatest number.

7. Computers.

   1. Also called utility program.  a piece of software used to perform standard operations involved in managing and maintaining the system itself, such as backing up data, copying data from one drive to another, restoring corrupted files, etc..

      The suite includes a minimal set of utilities, including an encryption wizard for encrypting and decrypting personal files.

   2. an app for a smartphone, such as a calculator, compass, etc., performing one simple function used in the course of carrying out some other activity.

      The measuring app and other utilities are all accessed in one place on your phone screen.

8. utilities, stocks or bonds of public utilities.

9. a grade of beef immediately below commercial.

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adjective

1. (of domestic animals) raised or kept as a potentially profitable product rather than for show or as pets: utility livestock.

   utility breeds;

   utility livestock.

2. having or made for a number of useful or practical purposes rather than a single, specialized one.

   a utility knife.

3. designed chiefly for use or service rather than beauty, high quality, or the like: utility furniture.

   a utility vehicle;

   utility furniture.

utility British  

/ juːˈtɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. 1. the quality of practical use; usefulness; serviceability

   2. ( as modifier )

      a utility fabric

2. something useful

3. 1. a public service, such as the bus system; public utility

   2. ( as modifier )

      utility vehicle

4. economics

   1. the ability of a commodity to satisfy human wants

   2. the amount of such satisfaction See disutility

5. statistics

   1. a measure of the total benefit or disadvantage attaching to each of a set of alternative courses of action

   2. ( as modifier ) See also expected utility decision theory

      utility function

6. Also called: utility truck.   ute.  a small truck with an open body and low sides, often with a removable tarpaulin cover; pick-up

7. a piece of computer software designed for a routine task, such as examining or copying files

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Usage

What does utility mean? A utility is something that is of service or serves a purpose. Broadly, a utility is anything that is useful. It is paired with many nouns that are commonly useful, such as a utility knife (a knife useful for cutting many things), a utility belt (a belt with pockets and loops to hold many things), and a utility room (a room in a house where the furnace, washing machine and other appliances are kept). In relation to modern life, a utility is a public service used by a household, such as water, electricity, or trash and recycling pickups. A bill for one of these services might be referred to as a utility bill. Utility can also refer to specific benefits that you would receive from taking part in an event or service, as in What is the utility of joining a union?In economics, utility specifically refers to a product’s or service’s ability to satisfy consumer needs. Example: That machine has great utility if you know how to use it.

Other Word Forms

• nonutility
  noun

Etymology

Origin of utility

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English utilite, from Old French utilite, utelite, from Latin ūtilitāt-, stem of ūtilitās, equivalent to ūtil(is) “useful” + -itās noun suffix; see utile, -ity

Explanation

If you live in a place where the temperature never drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and someone gives you a snow-blower for your birthday, you might question the gift’s utility, meaning its “usefulness.” Utility means “of practical use.” We refer to government facilities that provide water, electricity and natural gas as public utilities. Utility is similar to the word utilize, which is basically a stuffy word for use.

Example Sentences

The update will also shift some allowances from gas to electric utilities, and increase funding for the California Climate Credit, a rebate that appears automatically on people’s utility bills.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

Barron’s picked Idacorp stock on May 22, 2025, believing the utility serving some 650,000 retail customers in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon would benefit from population inflow and power-hungry artificial-intelligence data centers.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

But if we possess an intrinsic dignity that transcends utility, efficiency and economic value, if we are distinct from machines, then technology can remain servant rather than master.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

European utility stocks gained 18% this year, outperforming U.S. peers’ 10%, and are valued lower than their U.S. counterparts.

From Barron's • May 27, 2026

Few people would quarrel with the validity or utility of the weak anthropic principle.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking

Related Words

• service