utility

American  

[yoo-til-i-tee] / juˈtɪl 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

Derived Forms

• nonutility
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• utilities
  plural

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

See Examples For:

utility utilities

“Even if you can find a use case or some utility for it, you cannot actually guardrail away some of these inherent harms,” she said.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

New homeowners might base their budget for utility costs on conversations with their real-estate agent, or even the previous homeowner.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026

At least one Boyle Heights resident, a cancer patient, has filed suit against the company alleging they spent money on air purifiers and utility costs because of the fire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

The utility company owes roughly £20bn and has been working with creditors and government officials to find a way forward.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

They wore leather utility belts about their waists, and Moss couldn’t recognize a single object attached to them.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

Federal officials spent years warning local water utilities were vulnerable to cyberattacks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

At least seven of the 20 most destructive fires in California history have been sparked by the three biggest for-profit utilities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

"I would argue there is no clearer way to see the impact of climate change than looking at a traditional map," Tom Gray, a utilities and transport expert for Britain's national mapping agency, told AFP.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

The data centers and infrastructure built to support these technological advances will strain our utilities.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

Data on weekly income, what they paid in rent, in utilities, if they were on public assistance, how long.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Related Words

• service