'Utility' definitions:

Definition of 'utility'

From: WordNet
adjective
Used of beef; usable but inferior [syn: utility(a), utility-grade]
adjective
Capable of substituting in any of several positions on a team; "a utility infielder" [syn: utility(a), substitute(a)]
noun
A company that performs a public service; subject to government regulation [syn: utility, public utility, public utility company, public-service corporation]
noun
The quality of being of practical use [syn: utility, usefulness] [ant: inutility, unusefulness, uselessness]
noun
The service (electric power or water or transportation) provided by a public utility; "the cost of utilities never decreases"; "all the utilities were lost after the hurricane"
noun
(economics) a measure that is to be maximized in any situation involving choice
noun
(computer science) a program designed for general support of the processes of a computer; "a computer system provides utility programs to perform the tasks needed by most users" [syn: utility program, utility, service program]
noun
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; "the price of the house included all utilities"

Definition of 'Utility'

From: GCIDE
  • Utility \U*til"i*ty\, n. [OE. utilite, F. utilit['e], L. utilitas, fr. utilis useful. See Utile.] [1913 Webster]
  • 1. The quality or state of being useful; usefulness; production of good; profitableness to some valuable end; as, the utility of manure upon land; the utility of the sciences; the utility of medicines. [1913 Webster]
  • The utility of the enterprises was, however, so great and obvious that all opposition proved useless. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. (Polit. Econ.) Adaptation to satisfy the desires or wants; intrinsic value. See Note under Value, 2. [1913 Webster]
  • Value in use is utility, and nothing else, and in political economy should be called by that name and no other. --F. A. Walker. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Happiness; the greatest good, or happiness, of the greatest number, -- the foundation of utilitarianism. --J. S. Mill. [1913 Webster]
  • Syn: Usefulness; advantageous; benefit; profit; avail; service.
  • Usage: Utility, Usefulness. Usefulness has an Anglo-Saxon prefix, utility is Latin; and hence the former is used chiefly of things in the concrete, while the latter is employed more in a general and abstract sense. Thus, we speak of the utility of an invention, and the usefulness of the thing invented; of the utility of an institution, and the usefulness of an individual. So beauty and utility (not usefulness) are brought into comparison. Still, the words are often used interchangeably. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'utility'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Utility'